Skipper fends off killer whale attack with Cambs couple inside boat after gang of orcas stalked vessel

A skipper who fended off a killer whale attack with a couple from Cambridgeshire inside insists it is safe to go back in the water – despite fears over a gang of orcas stalking boats. Greg Blackburn, 32, was at the helm of a 46ft Bavaria when it was rammed by a pod earlier this month.

Tourists Stephen Bidwell and Janet Morris, from Cambridge, both 58, told how at least six killer whales targeted the vessel as they sailed seven miles from Tangier, Morocco. The orcas rammed the hull and bit through the rudder so the crew couldn’t steer, it is claimed.

The couple were enjoying a sailing course off the coast of Morocco when the orca attack took place. It is claimed it lasted for an hour – before boat skipper Greg managed to get them to safety.

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The skipper had also lowered the main sail to make the boat look boring. Researchers now believe a killer whale – White Gladis – is teaching others how to go after boats.

They think a ‘critical moment of agony’ – in which the female may have collided with a vessel or was caught in illegal fishing nets – led to her aggression to boats, according to reports.

Since then reports have emerged of a vengeful killer whale called White Gladis leading a gang which are going after boats in the Strait of Gibraltar. Greg claims he has heard of at least six more orca attacks on boats since his ship was targeted on May 2. He puts it down to overfishing in the area.

Greg, from Pontefract, West Yorks, said: “I personally believe that they see boats taking their food reserves and they are simply trying to protect it as we would any harvest of our own.

“It’s quite clear when you see the amount of fishing in the area and you learn from locals about the fishing skiffs that have been attacked. There has to be a reason why they are doing this – and I think it’s because the blue-finned tuna they live on is becoming endangered.”

Greg, who is also a qualified instructor, added that the behaviour could become more widespread. But he said the animals are not inherently dangerous – and said the Strait of Gibraltar is still perfectly safe.

Greg added: “There is a real risk of this behaviour becoming more of a problem. It’s a concern for the future that if other pods engage with this one and the behaviour is passed on it could become a problem on a much larger scale.

“There is still a high percentage of vessels getting through untouched by the orcas. When you look at it statistically, it’s just sometimes your luck runs out – as did mine.

“Orcas are safe. And you can check with orca watching sites so you know where they have been seen and can try to avoid them, and get information about safe routes that have been used.

“The sheer power these animals possess is awe-inspiring, the way they move through the water and work together as a team is something to behold. There’s nothing you can do in the situation but just wait until they have finished.”

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