! Murcia Today – Belgian sailor seriously injured after killer whale attack off the Spanish coast

The sailboat was towed to safety after a complicated rescue mission off the coast of Galicia

The sailboat named Amidalawas navigating the dangerous waters of the Costa da Morte when it was attacked. The orcas rammed the vessel repeatedly, causing significant damage to the rudder and leaving the crew unable to steer. With rough seas and wind speeds of up to 35 knots, the situation quickly escalated into a life-threatening emergency.

There were two experienced Belgian crew members on board, a man and a woman, who made a distress call to the Spanish maritime rescue authority at Cape Finisterre at around 4 p.m. The rescue operation was particularly challenging due to the rough weather conditions, as the waves were at times 2-3 meters high.

The female crew member suffered a serious hand injury while her sailboat was being towed to safety. The injured sailor was transferred to the Salvamar Altair rescue ship and then flown to Alvedro airport by Helimer 402 helicopter.

The sailboat Amidala was finally towed to the port of Camariñas, where it arrived at around 9:20 p.m. after a delay caused by rough seas.

This attack is part of a worrying trend. Just last week, experts predicted an increase in whale activity along the Galician coast, and according to research group GTOA, hundreds of similar interactions have been recorded since 2020, raising concerns about the safety of ships sailing these waters.

But while damage to boats is now commonplace, injuries are very rare in such encounters.

Photos: Salvamento Marítimo