Jessica Radcliffe, a SeaWorld trainer, has been making headlines after being killed by an orca. However, recent reports claimed that the viral video was fake, with no evidence of a trainer named Jessica. Orcas, a.k.a. killer whales, are highly intelligent and are not known for attacking humans. When the killer whales are captured or kept in smaller tanks, they become stressed and attack seafarers. So, whenever a killer whale gets captured, it becomes a threat to humans. However, looking at the recent trends, researchers are studying orcas that are purposefully attacking vessels, sailboats and sometimes ships as well.
Why did orcas purposefully attack a yacht?
On July 21, 2025, two French sailors were out on the ocean near Spain, when their yacht came under a sudden attack by a small group of killer whales. The attack happened about two miles from the town of Deba in the Basque Country, Spain. This was the first killer whale attack on a boat in that area this year in 2025. Usually, such encounters happen off the Iberian Coast, but this attack in Deba shows the orcas might be moving into new places where they don’t usually go.
