In the evening, off the coast of Sanxenxo (Sanxenxo) in the province of Pontevedra (Pontevedra), near the Ons Islands (Islas Ons), an incident occurred involving orcas and a sailing yacht. Three people were on board, and while sailing they noticed a group of marine mammals approaching the vessel.
As a result of the encounter with the orcas, the hull of the yacht was damaged, causing water to enter. Controlling the vessel became difficult, and the crew had to act quickly to stabilize the situation.
One of the crew members contacted emergency services at around 19:30 to report the incident. The information was relayed to the maritime rescue service and the Galicia coast guard, who prepared a tugboat for possible assistance. The local police, civil guard, and Sanxenxo emergency response service were also notified.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the yacht’s crew managed to deal with the damage themselves and did not require outside assistance. Everyone on board remained unharmed, and the situation was brought under control before rescuers arrived.
In recent years, incidents involving orcas and small vessels off Spain’s northwestern coast have been recorded more frequently. Experts point out that such encounters can be dangerous for boats and require crews to stay alert and respond quickly.
The incident near Sanxenxo has once again highlighted the need for caution when navigating in areas inhabited by large marine animals. Authorities advise yacht and boat captains to be prepared for emergencies and to have an action plan in place for such incidents.
