An orca repeatedly rammed a yacht in the Shetland Islands, a sailor told the Guardian. The attack follows a series of orca incidents around the Iberian peninsula. The 72-year-old Dutch physicist, an experienced sailor, said he had heard about orca incidents around Portugal, adding that he found the loud breathing of the orca the "most frightening." While many boat interactions with orcas in the area have been harmless, killer whales have increasingly rammed and even sank boats. The rising number of incidents has left researchers concerned for sailors' safety and the dwindling orca population around the Iberian peninsula.

---

Persons: —, Wim Rutten, Rutten, Dr, Conor Ryan, orcas, John Hargrove Organizations: Guardian, Service, Trust, SeaWorld Locations: Shetland, of Portugal, Spain, Lerwick, Scotland, Bergen, Norway, North, Portugal