The incident alert was issued around 3:50 PM by the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisbon), occurring approximately five kilometers west-northwest of the Vila do Conde harbor.
The crew from the Póvoa de Varzim Lifeboat Station assisted the two individuals on board the sailboat, who “were in good physical condition and did not require medical assistance.”
“Due to the damage caused to the sailboat’s rudder, the Lifeboat Station’s vessel towed the boat to the Póvoa de Varzim Marina to minimize navigation safety risks,” emphasized the National Maritime Authority (AMN) in a statement.
The sailboat, flying the French flag, can only resume sailing after undergoing an inspection to ensure navigational safety, the AMN further highlighted.
This is not the first vessel to face constraints due to orca presence along the Portuguese coast. Last week, five crew members were rescued after their vessel lost its rudder following an attack by these animals.
Earlier the same week, another sailboat was ‘attacked’ by orcas, ten miles off the Costa da Caparica.
