The crew and owner of the 'Corsario', a boat registered in the Majorica ORC1 class of the Copa del Rey (King's Cup Regatta) sailing competition to be held in Palma from 29 July to 5 August, are recovering from an attack by killer whales on their way to Palma. The First 50 DK, from the C.Y. De Vilagarcía, suffered a dangerous episode that has forced it to stop its crossing from Galicia to Mallorca in Barbate, where the team will try to repair it in time to take the start after an experience that has set off alarm bells in the sector.
"We were coming from Galicia and approaching the Strait of Gibraltar with the strong easterly wind we went ashore towards Barbate and they rammed us. Fortunately nothing happened and it was only material damage. We were attacked by four killer whales, three of them stared at us and one went for the rudder. It's as if we had caught a stone because they half lifted the boat", explains Jorge Durán, owner of 'Corsario', still in shock, who reported it to Gaceta Náutica.
Durán himself is aware of the danger posed by attacks of this kind by killer whales and the feeling that is settling in among many amateurs and professionals in the nautical world since these incidents have proliferated both last summer and over the last few weeks. "If they don't put a stop to this, we are going to stop sailing, both for tourists and nationals, because one day there is going to be a disgrace. You live it scared, to try to take the boat out is hard, to go out again and have a problem like this, you tell me," explained Jorge Durán, who is confident that the 'Corsario' can reach Palma to take part in the most important regatta in the Mediterranean.