Killer Whales Sink Yacht off Portugal

A dramatic encounter unfolded in Portuguese waters when a pod of killer whales attacked two yachts carrying passengers. One vessel was sunk while another sustained heavy damage, according to CBS News.

The first yacht had set out to search for dolphins when it was pursued by orcas. Witnesses say the whales rammed the hull repeatedly until the vessel listed heavily and eventually went under. The attack was caught on video, showing the five passengers thrown into the sea before being rescued by another ship.

A second yacht carrying four people came under attack near the port of Cascais. This time, the orcas failed to sink the vessel, which was later towed safely to shore. No injuries were reported among the passengers.

Eyewitnesses offered conflicting accounts about the number of whales involved in the attacks. Some claim as many as four orcas participated, while others believe a single aggressive killer whale was responsible for the incidents.

The incident adds to a growing list of orca attacks on boats off the Iberian coast in recent years, raising questions about changing predator behavior in the Atlantic Ocean. Marine biologists continue to investigate why killer whales are increasingly targeting vessels.