Orcas Sink Tourist Boat in Shocking Attack Near Portuguese Beach

In a chilling and chaotic scene off the coast of Portugal, a group of killer whales rammed and sank a tourist yacht near Fonte da Telha beach on Saturday — marking yet another aggressive orca encounter in what’s quickly becoming a disturbing pattern.

The yacht, operated by the Nautic Squad club, was carrying five people when the pod of orcas began slamming into the hull. Footage from the attack shows one of the whales repeatedly striking the yacht’s stern as the vessel sways and begins to take on water. In the background, a voice yells: “Oh my God.”

Everyone on board was rescued by nearby boats just before the yacht slipped beneath the surface.

But the nightmare didn’t end there. A second vessel with four people onboard also had a run-in with the same group of orcas, this time off the coast of Cascais. That boat required assistance as well, though no injuries were reported in either incident.

This isn’t an isolated case — and it’s not new.

Orca attacks on boats, especially along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts, have surged in recent years. Marine authorities and biologists are scrambling to understand what’s driving this spike in aggression. One leading theory? Boredom.

The whales — particularly a sub-group of Iberian orcas known for these encounters — are believed to be targeting rudders for play or as a form of stimulation. But there’s nothing playful about the aftermath.

One skipper recounted how a whale “struck the rudder repeatedly, causing cracks that flooded the hull.” Some witnesses saw four orcas circling the yacht during Saturday’s incident.

Portugal’s national maritime authority confirmed it received a distress call at 12:30pm and dispatched rescue teams immediately. The sunken vessel has since been marked with buoys for potential salvage.

This marks the third known sinking attributed to orcas in the region. Two other boats were lost near Sines and Viana do Castelo in 2022. Between 2020 and 2023, there were over 500 reported orca encounters in Iberian waters, with around 20% of boats sustaining damage.

And the problem is spreading. What used to be a rare phenomenon in deeper, less-traveled waters is now happening closer to shore — in busy areas and shallower seas.

One sailor, posting in a social media group set up for those navigating the Iberian coast, warned: “We were terrorized every day for 4 weeks last year while transiting down for the Arc… Lots of damaged boats… even an airlift to hospital for one poor lady… A very real problem.”

Researchers are watching the Iberian orca population closely. Fewer than 50 individuals remain, and the species is listed as critically endangered.

Still, their behavior is raising alarm, not just among scientists, but among everyday sailors and tourists.

Boaters in the region have been warned to stay vigilant — or, better yet, to stay ashore.

Watch the clip below.