The boat of the Lanzarote Nautical Academy was attacked by several orcas while sailing north of Cape Espartel at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. The attack took place at about 00.30 hours on Thursday, April 13.
The boat was sailing from Lanzarote to the Port of Marina Alcaidesa, in the Bay of Algeciras. After five days of sailing, without any problems on board, they were attacked at night, without the crew having noticed that they were being stalked by this group of animals.
The speed of the boat, which at that time was 9 Kts, plus the violence of the surprise attacks by the animals, produced significant rolls, which resulted in some minor contusions of the two crew members. The animals rammed the boat four times, two very violently, which ended with the breakage of the rudder blade by an orca bite, breakage of the steering arm, as well as the entire guard and chain system.
After the orca attack, the skipper contacted Tarifa radio and the Royal Navy Morocco patrol boat guarded the conejera boat until the arrival of the Salvamar Arturus that would tow them to the port of Tarifa. The boat has remained on the peninsula waiting to receive a new rudder blade and be repaired while the crew members are already in Lanzarore.
