The crew of a Dutch yacht endured a terrifying encounter when their boat was attacked by orcas, otherwise known as killer whales. The situation unfolded in the Strait of Gibraltar when Team JAJO was competing in the Ocean Race.
Video of the attack shows the orcas circling around the Dutch yacht before ramming into it and even biting the boat's rudders. Members of Team JAJO banged on the hull of the ship in an effort to scare away the orcas.
"This was a scary moment," Team JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek told the Associated Press. "Three orcas came straight at us and started hitting the rudders. Impressive to see the orcas, beautiful animals, but also a dangerous moment for us as a team.
"We took down the sails and slowed down the boat as quickly as possible, and luckily after a few attacks, they went away."
Another team competing in the race, the Mirpuri/Trifork Racing Team, also reported an encounter with a pod of orcas. There were no injuries in the encounters or damage to either of their boats.
Authorities have noticed an increase when it comes to orcas interacting with ships in the Strait of Gibraltar and Portugal. In fact, there were more than 20 incidents reported in May. On some of those occasions, boats suffered significant damage with at least three of them even sinking.
Earlier this week, there was a report of an orca ramming into a yacht in the North Sea near the Shetland Islands.
The Ocean Race is a six-month competition that spans 32,000 nautical miles (37,000 miles) in which crews sail around the world. The 11th Hour Racing Team -- which hails from the United States -- currently is leading the race as it enters the final leg. There will be an in-port race on July 1 that will serve as the grand finale for the event.
