Orcas sink sailing vessel off Galicia coast, crew rescued
A pod of orcas approached the sailing yacht Idem about 1.3 mi (2 km) off Cape Estaca de Bares near Mañón in Spain’s A Coruña province on Thursday. The interaction damaged the boat’s steering, left it without control and caused a flood that sank the vessel. Two crew members were lifted to safety by a nearby motor boat and later transferred to the port of Cariño by the rapid‑response rescue cutter Shaula.
Maritime authorities dispatched the helicopter Helimer 401 to over‑fly the area and check for any fuel spill. The incident was the fourth orca encounter reported that day along the Galician coast; other vessels suffered minor damage but were able to continue to ports such as Vivero.
No casualties were reported, and officials are monitoring the site for environmental impact.