Brit’s yacht is SUNK in another shocking orca attack as vid shows vessel go under in ‘White Gladis’s’ hunting ground
A BRITISH yachtsman has posted video footage of his boat sinking after it was attacked by orcas in ‘White Gladis’s’ hunting ground.
Robert Powell and two other occupants of Bonhomme William had to be rescued by coastguards after their vessel capsized in the Strait of Gibraltar.
The orcas are said to have disabled the yacht’s steering, tipping the boat over, with the craft taking on water.
Spanish coastguards rushed to the scene between the southern towns of Tarifa and Barbate in a dramatic rescue operation.
The London-based managing director showed his yacht sinking into the sea in agonising social media posts.
Powell said: “Bonhomme William my lovely boat has been sunk off the coast of Spain.”
“It was attacked at 8pm by a pod of five orcas.”
He told his worried friends in a subsequent message: “We were all rescued and are safe now”.
The attack could have come from a notorious pod of whales led by an orca dubbed ‘White Gladis’ – which is thought to have been attacking seafarers for at least three years.
Orca attacks on boats travelling through the Strait of Gibraltar – also known as Orca Alley – were first reported in 2020.
Responding to recent claims by scientists the orcas are targeting yachts are playing games, Powell said: “Sadly these ones were not playing.
“It was a well-orchestrated and organised attack to sink my boat.”
A spokesman for the Spanish Coastguard Service said: “Yesterday evening a yacht a sailboat called Bonhomme William which was two miles off Camarinal Cape between Tarifa and Barbate reported that after interaction with orcas she needed to be towed as her steering system was inoperative.
“The skipper added that the three people on board were okay and the vessel was not taking on water.
“Our Tarifa centre mobilised coastguard vessel Salvamar Enif.
“The sailboat then called again to report the orcas were still interacting and it was now taking on water.
“The crew were told help was on its way and to prepare the water pump.
“Salvamar Enif reported when it was close to the other vessel’s position that it has seen two flares in the area followed by a parachute flare.
“On arrival it reported the life raft had been thrown into the water and the yacht had lost its waterline.
“The Salvamar Enif crew rescued the three people on board and reported they were all okay.
“It collected polluting liquids, the radio beacon, pyrotechnics and life raft before confirming the sailboat was sinking and heading to Barbate with the three people rescued.”
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