Terrifying moment Brit woman’s yacht is attacked by killer whales led by notorious orca White Gladis in night of terror
A Brit has told of her night of terror after killer whales repeatedly rammed her yacht, flooding it with water.
April Boyes, 31, is believed to be the latest victim of a witch hunt being led by the vengeful White Gladis, the notorious female orca who torments sailors off the coast of Gibraltar.
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She captured the moment when the deadly mammals began bumping into the boat as they menacingly rose from the water to signal their presence.
A crew member can be heard screaming horror while the threatening blows continue as the orcas circle the ship.
The group of predators were reportedly White Gladis apprentices who were “taught” to attack and sink boats.
Scientists worry that a “critical moment of agony” like a collision may have triggered her aggression, and speculate that she may now spur other orca to target ships.
Video shared by April shows the killer whales wreaking havoc on the boat for over an hour while it was trapped on board off the coast of Spain.
Concerned, she says, “Jesus, oh my God” as the orcas invade the yacht, causing significant damage as the safety of sunlight fades.
The creatures’ constant beating eventually destroyed and pierced the rudder hullwith April implying that it looked like “they were going to bite it apart.”
The footage then takes another worrying turn as the killer whales continue Goal the boat, aided by the cover of darkness.
They manage to rip a significant hole in the hull, flooding the boat and causing the crew to panic more and more.
The water has completely engulfed the yacht’s engine room, forcing a sailor to desperately try to get rid of it with a bucket.
Another told Spanish authorities: “We need help immediately, we’re sinking, we’re sinking.”
Officials dispatched a helicopter and rescue ship to rescue the crew of four in the early hours of Thursday.
The 66-foot vessel, which was flying the British flag, was then towed to the port of Barbate in Cadiz province for repairs.
April said she was initially excited to spot the pod of orcas before the trip took a turn that left her stomach turning.
She explained, “What started out as a seemingly unique encounter ended with orcas snapping our oar off the boat and then ripping pieces off the boat for an hour.”
“A huge hole in the gull meant water was seeping into other parts of the boat and engine room and I can honestly say it was a scary experience.”
“We are all safe, I am grateful to the Coast Guard.”
The yacht ambush follows at least 20 orca attacks on small vessels in the Strait of Gibraltar – also known as Orca Avenue – this month alone.
The giant beasts can reach 20 to 26 feet in length, meaning they could cause thousands of pounds of damage to boats and even sink them entirely.
Experts believe the surge in attacks is a vendetta by White Gladis, who is already suspected of sinking two attacks yachts.
Known for being sociable creatures, orcas can easily learn from each other – including tactics for taking down sailors.
Whale attacks have reportedly continued since May 2020.
In September of that year, after 29 orca attacks were reported, Spanish authorities banned boats from sailing from the north-western tip of the country.
As of November 2020, a further 16 incidents have been reported, mostly involving juvenile orcas disrupting boats and in many cases damaging oars.
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