Five people, including three children, were rescued from a yacht on Friday evening following an encounter with orcas off the coast of Peniche.
The Navy, which coordinated the rescue, stated that the alert was issued via VHF radio to the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisbon).
The five crew members – a Portuguese citizen and a French citizen with three children – were aboard the yacht “TI’FARE” and reported the incident while sailing 45 nautical miles (approximately 90 kilometers) southwest of Peniche.
The encounter with the orcas resulted in water entering the vessel, which eventually sank.
“Multiple resources from the Maritime Search and Rescue device were immediately deployed to ensure a swift and effective response. The frigate D. Francisco de Almeida, the fishing vessel SILMAR, a Lifesaving Station from the Peniche Port Captaincy, and the EH-101 helicopter from the Portuguese Air Force were involved in the rescue,” the Navy further disclosed in a statement.
The nearby fishing vessel was the first to reach the location and, under the coordination of MRCC Lisbon, “assisted in retrieving the five castaways who were already in the Lifeboat.”
Subsequently, the EH-101 helicopter transported the rescued individuals to Air Base No. 6 in Montijo, where medical assistance was provided by the INEM. Later, they were all transferred to a hospital.
The Navy also emphasized in the statement that its Maritime Search and Rescue Centers “maintain continuous response to incidents in national maritime areas, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
Orca encounters have been frequent along the coast in recent weeks. Less than a month ago, also in Peniche, a French-flagged yacht lost its rudder following an orca interaction.
The five crew members on board were “physically well, without the need for medical assistance.”
“Due to the damage caused to the yacht’s rudder,” the vessel was towed to Peniche by the Lifesaving Station to “minimize the risk to navigation safety,” indicated the National Maritime Authority at the time.
