06/18/2025
A 39-foot yacht was sunk by a pod of killer whales in a "terrifying" two-hour attack in the Mediterranean Sea. Robert Powell, 59, and his crew were 22 hours into their 10-day journey from Vilamoura, Portugal, to Greece when the orcas targeted their boat. The coordinated assault, compared to wolves hunting, saw the whales battering the boat's weak points, including the rudder, keel, and stern. Despite attempts to deter them with firecrackers and engine shutdowns, the vessel's hull eventually split, causing it to sink. The crew was rescued by a Spanish salvage vessel just before the yacht sank 130 feet below the sea. Powell believes this pod could be the same group responsible for similar attacks in recent years.
