Three orcas attack Ocean Race fleet in Strait of Gibraltar: ‘It was a terrifying moment’

fleet of Ocean race experienced one of the most tense and terrifying moments of the current edition of sailing around the world, when the orcas attacked the boats Team EGG and Mirpuri Trifork Racing Team near the Straits of Gibraltar, although all crew were unharmed.

As the two VO65s explained, three orcas approached them in the Atlantic Ocean west of Gibraltar and they began to bite the rudder and give fierce blows to the boats. After a few minutes of fear, the three cetaceans moved away.

On their approach to Gibraltar this afternoon, Team JAJO encountered a school of orcas which led to a terrifying moment on board VO65! Fortunately, the crew and the ship were unharmed. The Dutch ship with skipper Jelmer van Beek is back on its way to Genoa.#TheOceanRace #VO65Sprint pic.twitter.com/jbW7j1iFMr

— The Ocean Race (@theoceanrace) June 22, 2023

Twenty minutes ago we were hit by orcas, explained the captain of the ship. Team EGG, Jelmer van Beek, after the incident. “Three killer whales came right at us and started hitting the rudders. It’s amazing to see killer whales, beautiful animals, but it was also a dangerous time for us as a team. We took off the sails and slowed the ship down as fast as possible and, luckily, after a few attacks, they left. It was a terrible time“, he admitted.

After the attack, the two yachts contacted Alicante Race Control and confirmed this there were no injuries or material damage to their ships after his “brief” encounter with the orcs. Orcas have carried out several attacks on ships, many with significant damage and some resulting in shipwrecks, in the Gibraltar area in recent months. Cetaceans repeatedly strike the hull or rudder of a ship in a behavior that is still being studied.

Eight days after setting sail from The Hague (Netherlands), the Ocean Race fleet has already entered the Mediterranean, but continues to struggle with light winds en route to Genoa (Italy). except Wind Whisper Racing Teamwhich leads for some distance, the other boats remain several miles apart.