Norwegian Sailboat Heavily Damaged by Orcas off Portuguese Coast

The incident is part of a growing number of mysterious interactions with Iberian orcas, leaving experts puzzled about the behavior.

A Norwegian-flagged sailboat lost its rudder after an encounter with orcas 20 kilometers south of Sesimbra, Portugal, on Saturday.
The two crew members were unharmed and were rescued by a Portuguese maritime service after receiving initial assistance from a passing commercial vessel.
Since 2020, over 800 interactions between orcas and boats have been documented in the Iberian region, with about 20% resulting in significant damage.
Scientists emphasize that these interactions are not believed to be aggressive but remain baffled as to why only orcas in this region exhibit such behavior.
The phenomenon, first recorded during the pandemic, has prompted multiple theories, but no definitive explanation has been found.