Portuguese coastguard rescues second sailboat after orcas sink tourist vessel off Lisbon

Portuguese authorities rescued the crew of a second sailboat this week after a pod of orcas repeatedly struck the vessel, following an earlier incident in which a tourist sailboat sank after being rammed.

The National Republican Guard said rescuers aided four people on a sailboat off Costa da Caparica, about 10 nautical miles from Lisbon, after the vessel suffered "successive collisions with the bow caused by orcas." The boat was escorted to the port of Cascais, and authorities reported no passengers required medical assistance.

The second rescue came three days after a yacht carrying tourists sank near Fonte da Telha beach. Video from that earlier incident showed several whales chasing the boat and striking it until the vessel heeled and slowly submerged. Portuguese maritime authorities said the sailboat, operated by the Nautic Squad club, carried five people; they were rescued by nearby vessels before the boat sank.

Lisbon's Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre said it received an initial alert at 12:30 p.m. and dispatched lifeguards immediately. Bernardo Queiroz, director of the tour vessel Mercedes‑Benz Oceanic Lounge, told authorities his vessel had been conducting a dolphin‑watching trip when crew members observed erratic movements from the stricken boat and recorded several orcas circling the hull as they approached.

Witness accounts of the attacks have varied. Some observers reported seeing a pod of four orcas, while one skipper said a single whale struck a rudder two or three times, causing cracks that allowed water to flood in. Attempts by nearby vessels to tow the damaged sailboat were unsuccessful and it later sank.

Officials said the incidents are part of a broader pattern of interactions between orcas and recreational boats along the Iberian Atlantic coast. Conservation group orcas.pt reported more than 70 interactions so far this year. Reports compiled by researchers and authorities indicate an increase in episodes since 2019, with around 500 incidents documented between 2020 and 2023. No human fatalities or serious injuries have been reported in the encounters, but authorities say roughly 20% of affected vessels sustained damage and several were lost.

The spate of incidents has prompted warnings to mariners in neighbouring Spain. Coastal authorities in Galicia advised sailors to remain in port after reports of whales ramming rudders in shallower waters than usual, including an incident near Vilaxoán in the Ría de Arousa, an estuary not typically associated with orca encounters. Most previously reported attacks occurred in deeper waters along the Atlantic coast of Galicia and near the Strait of Gibraltar, where orcas commonly follow bluefin tuna migrations.

Scientists and regional observers say the behaviour—once rare in the area—is appearing more frequently, though its causes are not definitively understood. Some biologists have suggested the whales may be engaging with vessels for reasons including exploratory behaviour, social learning, or seeking stimulation, but researchers emphasize that evidence is limited and further study is needed.

Portuguese maritime authorities and the National Republican Guard continue to monitor the situation and have coordinated responses to distress calls. Officials have urged mariners to exercise caution, report unusual whale behaviour, and avoid attempting to intervene directly with animals at sea.

The incidents underscore growing challenges for coastal communities and authorities as orca interactions with leisure craft rise along parts of the Iberian coastline. Researchers say coordinated monitoring and more data on the pods involved will be important to understand and manage the encounters while protecting both people and marine wildlife.