A group of three or four orcas attacked a sailboat for about eight minutes off the coast of Spain, near San Vicente, and broke approximately half of the boat's rudder. A video released by the crew shows the animals circling the boat and repeatedly striking the underwater steering area.
The Seika Racing team was returning from a sailing competition and transferring the vessel to another marina when the orcas appeared. Initially, the crew feared the attack had caused hull damage and water entry.
American sailor Gage Butler, from California, experienced tense moments as the crew inspected the sailboat. On social media, Butler wrote that it was amazing to see how intelligent the animals are and how they play and hunt in groups, but that his adrenaline was high during the inspection to check if there were any leaks in the hull.
