Two 19m race yachts have reported being attacked by orcas during the final leg of The Ocean Race near the Straits of Gibraltar.
Team JAJO of the Netherlands and Mirpuri Trifork Racing of Portugal both reported killer whale encounters to Race Control about 3pm on Thursday (local time).
Despite the orcas pushing up against or in at least one case ramming into the boat and nudging or biting at the rudders, there were no injuries or damage to the boats.
The Dutch team filmed the encounter both on deck and below the water with a 360 camera.
The pair of orcas can be seen accelerating towards the boat, and at times, trying to interfere with the rudder.
Crew members can be heard banging on the boat in an attempt to shoo the orca away.
Team JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek said that it was impressive to see the orcas, but also dangerous for the team who he says reacted "really well".
"We took down the sails and slowed down the boat as quick as possible. Luckily after a few attacks, they went away."
The area around Gibraltar is becoming notorious for what some are calling 'orca attacks' on boats, where an individual or pod of orcas repeatedly ram a boat's hull or rudders.
At least three boats have been damaged to the point of sinking.
A New Zealander who regularly works with orca whales has likened recent incidents of boats being targeted to teenagers shoplifting.
Whale rescue co-founder Jo Halliday told 1News that the animals seen in new video from Gibraltar are likely juvenile orca.
Speaking from the Far North she said, "I would probably liken it to a young teenager going out shoplifting."
Halliday said the animals are clever, and it is possible other animals have picked up the behaviour off of a fellow pod member.
"(They’re) getting away with it, going home, saying to his mates, hey, guess what I got, you know, come with me tomorrow, we'll have another shot at it."
Halliday said from her interactions, it’s clear they all have unique personalities and habits.
"You can have you know, naughty ones, cheeky ones, mischievous ones, happy ones," she said.
"It really is just down to (an) individual."
It’s not entirely clear what’s causing the animals to target yachts and boats; however, experts have speculated it could be retaliatory for previous incidents where the animals have been hurt by vessels.
Jo believes it’s an important reminder that humans are encroaching on their natural habitat and should respect their space.
"It is good not to catastrophize anything around these animals, because they have a hard enough time with humans as it is."
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