On October 10, an unusual incident occurred off the coast of Portugal — a killer whale (orca) sank an 11-meter yacht named "Ti'fare" belonging to a French family.
According to local media reports, the incident occurred near the city of Peniche, 45 nautical miles (approximately 84 km) from the coast. A family of five was on the yacht — a couple and their three daughters, aged 8, 10, and 12.
The yacht had set sail from the city of Lorient, France, on September 29. Eleven days later, an emergency signal was sent from the sea, and the Lisbon maritime rescue center was called for help.
The family members transferred to a life raft and were rescued by a nearby fishing vessel. However, the orcas had pierced the yacht's hull, causing it to sink completely in a short time.
This is considered the 61st incident involving orcas near the Portuguese coast in 2025. Last month, on September 13, these marine animals sank another sailing yacht near the coast of Caparica.
Experts have not yet been able to determine exactly why the orcas are behaving this way. Biologists prefer to call this behavior not an "attack," but rather a "unique interaction or encounter."
