Orcas attack boats in the run-up to the Mallorca sailing competition
Adjusted: Yesterday, 19:48Yesterday, 19:34abroad _

All three boats participating in the Copa del Rey sailing competition in Mallorca on Saturday were damaged after a collision with an orca. According to those on board, orcas attacked the boats.

Last Friday, the boat 'Tiro' from Portugal came into contact with two orcas off the coast of the southern Spanish municipality of Barbate, on the Strait of Gibraltar. A skipper of the boat told the maritime magazine 'Gaceta Náutica'. The rudder of the boat was damaged and is currently being repaired in Valencia.

As with the first two incidents, the boat was attacked on its way to the island of Mallorca to take part in the famous Copa del Rey sailing race. The regatta is very popular with the royal family in Spain. The 55-year-old King Felipe VI participates annually in the competition with his boat.

For several months there have been reports of orca attacks off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. According to the organization GT Orca Atlántica (GTOA), which is committed to the management and conservation of orcas around the Iberian Peninsula, the marine mammals are mainly in the Strait of Gibraltar this year. There, on July 11, a first 'attack' took place by an orca on a sailing boat that will participate in the regatta. After the boat 'Corsario', nine days later the sailing boat 'Kapote III' was also damaged in the same way.

Researchers point out not to speak of 'attacks', but of 'interactions', given that the nature of the incidents is not known. Some researchers believe that the animals just want to play with the boats. Alfredo López, a biologist at GTOA, suspects it could be a reaction from the orcas to a negative experience with a boat. Or perhaps animals, known for being very intelligent, have discovered "something new," it sounds.