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HomePress ReleaseEIN PresswireOrcas encounter race boats near Gibraltar in The Ocean Race

Orcas encounter race boats near Gibraltar in The Ocean Race


Orcas encounter race boats near Gibraltar in The Ocean Race around the globe

Orcas encounter race boats near Gibraltar in The Ocean Race around the world, nudging the rudder

Orcas encounter race boats near Gibraltar in The Ocean Race around the globe

The Ocean Race boats encountered a pod of orca killer whales, with a historical past of attacking boats, near Gibraltar, Spain.

This was a scary second”

— Jelmer van Beek, Workforce JAJO

ALICANTE, SPAIN, June 26, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — Two of the VO65 boats racing in The Ocean Race VO65 Dash have had direct encounters with orcas – killer whales – in the Atlantic Ocean to the west of Gibraltar.

Workforce JAJO and Mirpuri Trifork Racing each reported being approached by orcas throughout their strategy to the Strait of Gibraltar. The groups subsequently contacted Race Management to verify there had been no accidents and no injury to their boats, regardless of the orcas pushing up in opposition to and in not less than one case ramming into the boat and nudging or biting on the rudders.

“20 minutes in the past we received hit by some orcas,” mentioned Workforce JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek after the incident. “Three orcas got here straight at us and began hitting the rudders. Spectacular to see the orcas, lovely animals, but additionally a harmful second for us as a workforce. We took down the sails and slowed down the boat as shortly as doable and by chance after just a few assaults they went away… This was a scary second.”

The space round Gibraltar is turning into well-known for what some are calling ‘orca assaults’ on boats, the place a person or pod of orcas repeatedly ram into a ship’s hull or rudders. In some instances, boats have been considerably broken – not less than three to the purpose of sinking.

Scientists are nonetheless attempting to grasp this new behaviour.

The Ocean Race has a Marine Mammal protocol, which goals to assist boats keep away from coming into contact with cetaceans and different marine mammals, together with pointers for what to do in situations the place encounters occur. Workforce JAJO slowed down their vessel, dropped their sails and used the hazard button perform on the navigation software program warning the remainder of the fleet that there have been orcas in the realm.

Fortuitously for The Ocean Race boats, in this occasion, the orca encounters have been temporary and comparatively benign, though little doubt scary, however with no injury to the individuals, boats or animals.

Peter Rusch
The Ocean Race
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Orcas strategy race boat near Gibraltar throughout The Ocean Race



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