Video: Killer Whales Sink Family Yacht Off Portugal; Air Force Rescues Five

A French family of five, including three children, was rescued by the Portuguese Air Force after a pod of killer whales rammed and sank their yacht off the coast of Portugal on Friday night.

The 36-foot French-flagged yacht, locally identified as Ti’fare, was sailing over 50 kilometres from Peniche when it came under attack from a group of orcas. The repeated blows breached the hull, causing the vessel to flood and eventually sink.

Authorities confirmed that the couple and their children, aged eight, ten and twelve, sent out a distress signal before abandoning the yacht in a life raft. They were later picked up by a Peniche-based fishing vessel, Silmar, which responded to the SOS while the Air Force and Navy were mobilised.

A Portuguese Air Force spokesperson stated that an EH-101 Merlin helicopter from Squadron 751, known as the Pumas, was deployed from Air Base No. 6 in Montijo at around 8.45 p.m.

The helicopter airlifted the survivors from Silmar and transported them to safety for medical evaluation. The operation concluded at approximately 11 p.m., with all five reported to be safe.

The rescue mission was coordinated by the Lisbon Search and Rescue Coordination Centre following an activation request from the Portuguese Navy’s Maritime Rescue Centre in Lisbon. A Navy frigate and a lifeboat from the Peniche Port Authority were also dispatched to assist.

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The family had departed from Lorient in Brittany, western France, on 29 September and made stops in La Coruña, Spain, and Porto, Portugal, before continuing their voyage south. Following the incident, they received medical checks and are now being supported by French consular officials.

Less than a month ago, another tourist yacht sank off Portugal after being struck by killer whales near Fonte da Telha beach. Five people were rescued after their sailboat was repeatedly rammed and began taking on water.

Earlier this year, a similar confrontation occurred in the Atlantic, when orcas nearly capsized a yacht north of the Spanish town of Deba. Sailors involved in such incidents have often described the encounters as lasting for extended periods, with the whales striking the hulls with considerable force.

Researchers studying orca behaviour off the Iberian coast say these interactions are not always aggressive. Some believe the whales may be curious or playful rather than hostile, though repeated ramming is dangerous for small boats.

The orcas found in these waters typically measure 16 to 21 feet, smaller than those found in Antarctic regions, which can reach 29 feet.

The Portuguese Air Force later released footage of the nighttime rescue operation, showing the moment the stranded family was winched from the fishing boat to safety.

References: The Sun, Daily Mail

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