Whether you experience an interaction or uneventful passage, submit a report as follows:
Orca News and Reports on Noonsite
Latest incident reports (view latest news for an update).
According to the Atlantic Orca scientists - who study this species of orca and investigate this disruptive and exclusive behaviour of the specimens of the Strait - it is about 15 cetaceans of the fifty that make up the population who interact with boats. The usual behaviour is to ram the rudder, often causing damage that leaves the sailboat adrift and incapacitated. However, there have been at least six cases in which the vessel has sunk. The yacht Tiafe sinking off Peniche (October 2025) is the seventh.
Since 2020 there has been a pattern of behaviour within a population of orcas that feeds on and follows the migration of tuna exiting the Mediterranean from the Strait of Gibraltar and heading West and North around the Iberian Peninsula over a period of several months.
This behaviour has seen juvenile orcas interact with vessels (mostly sailboats) that are transiting this coastline, in many instances causing damage to rudders.
Orca encounters have now become just another part of planning a passage around the Iberian peninsula.
Many yachts don’t come across Orcas and a great number simply spot orca, but have an incident-free encounter. However there are instances where interactions have appeared "threatening", with a growing number of yachts suffering severe rudder damage.
Up until July 2022, interactions were limited to just damage; the orcas’ ‘playing’ with rudders of sailing boats essentially left them stranded, but otherwise intact. The worst that happened was a wait for rescue, and then an expensive repair bill.
But that changed in July 2022 when a family’s boat sank after a late-night ‘interaction’ off Sines in the south of Portugal, followed by a second sinking off Viana do Castelo in the north of Portugal at the start of November 2022. Seven yachts have been sunk to date, with the most recent in October 2025 off Peniche, Portugal.
The reason for this recent and repetitive behaviour towards small vessels is still not fully understood, however, after several years of increased interactions between orca and yachts, scientists now have some theories as why this is happening. Interesting articles with alternative views from scientists include:
If you are planning a passage around the Iberian peninsula, do your research first and identify where you can get the latest location information on encounters and orca sightings. It can be confusing as more and more initiatives to track and discuss orcas in this area develop, all wanting data from yacht skippers and all offering advice etc. Below we outline the main organisations that you should consult and report to if an interaction takes place.
If preparing for a transit around/along the Iberian Peninsula where orca are active, use these guidelines published by Noonsite in collaboration with the CA and learn how you can use your experience to help those following in your wake.
Other useful articles/webinars/links to help prepare include:
A growing number of yachting organisations are publishing advice for yachts, alongside recommendations from orca working groups. This can all be found in the useful resources on this page, as well as news of reported encounters with yachts and orca-related reports.
The Cruising Association note that the majority of interactions have occurred in a water depth greater than 40 metres and the CA data at www.theca.org.uk/orcas/reports (comparative data tab) highlights the increased risk posed by traveling in deeper water. Their advice to avoid interactions is to stay less than two miles off shore and navigate in less than 20 metres of water. Great care should be taken, however, if navigating this close to the "lee-shore" Portuguese coastline.
That said, orca are now venturing to within the 20m depth contour and interactions and damage have been reported during late Spring/Summer 2025, including inside the Galician Rias in NW Spain.
In the southern Spain (Barbate) area, where incidents occur frequently, it is possible to pass through the area in, or near to, the 20m depth contour. However wind, sea state and tides need to be considered with regard to the possibility of being disabled near to shore or shallows and the huge tuna nets need to be avoided (it is understood to be possible to pass inside the net at the Barbate harbour entrance.)
Orcas.pt recommend the safest route towards Gibraltar is going to Cadiz and following the coast along the 20-meter depth contour until Gibraltar.
The Spanish Government (see poster previously) recommend avoiding sailing in this area from April to August if possible.
It's also useful to review the CA Orca Project collated library of skippers’ comments on deterrent measures – www.theca.org.uk/orcas/interaction-deterrent-library
In Spain and Portugal, current legislation does not allow the use of acoustic devices to deter orcas. Since 2022 GTOA have been collaborating with the working group launched by the Portuguese government in which an acoustic proposal proposed by GenusWave has been selected, which is being prepared for tests at sea, experimentally but not on yachts. It is hoped this may be available for the 2024 season. See more information here.
Review the CA Orca Project collated library of skippers’ comments on deterrent measures – www.theca.org.uk/orcas/interaction-deterrent-library
In Spain and Portugal, current legislation does not allow the use of acoustic devices to deter orcas.
As the risk of having an orca encounter becomes just another part of planning a passage around the Iberian peninsula, it’s comforting to know that an easy-to-deploy deterrent (that is not harmful to orca) is under development. GenusWave is used by fishermen to keep seals and orcas off their nets by emitting a signal that orca give when warning each other to stay away. This unit is being adapted for yachts in consultation with the CA. Portuguese government-led trials are expected soon. See more information here.
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