Orcas attack boat off the coast of Portugal for 30 minutes, sailor sets off emergency alert

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Sailor calls for help as orcas attack his boat

Phep Philouceros, 77, was sailing off the coast of Cape Vincent, Portugal, when his boat was attacked by orcas. The sailor, who has 55 years of experience, said the orcas continued for 30 minutes — even following the boat as it was towed to shore. 

A sailor has a story to tell after a pod of orcas attacked his boat off the coast of Portugal. 

On Monday, August 7, Phep Philouceros was sailing off the coast of Cape Vincent in Portugal when five killer whales began to follow his 30-foot boat. 

The 70-year-old was headed to Royan, France, when two of the orcas peeled off from the pack and began attacking his boat, according to an SWNS report. 

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Philouceros, who reportedly has 55 years of sailing experience, began to videotape the moment to send out a distress alert to a rescue team. 

"I set off my emergency beacon so that other boats could come to my rescue," the native of France told SWNS, the British news service.

An orca can be seen beside the boat sailed by a man with 55 years of sailing experience. The attack happened on August 7.  (SWNS)

In the meantime, Philouceros tried to stop the orcas by turning off his engine, moving the boat in reverse and more — but all of those efforts were unsuccessful. 

"Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucky."

When the rescue boat arrived 15 minutes later, the orcas were still attacking his boat in the roughly 80-foot-deep water. 

One was even attacking the rudder, or steering apparatus, as SWNS reported.

Philouceros’ boat was then towed back to shore in Sagres, Portugal, where the whales continued to attack. 

A sailor with many decades of experience was forced to send out a call for help after a pod of orcas went after his boat.  (SWNS)

Philouceros told SWNS that he had been at sea for three months after leaving from Gruissan, France.

He knew there had been orca sightings near Sagres, Portugal. 

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"I use an app called Orca Atlantica, which lists orca encounters in the area, and I also listen to what local authorities are advising," he said. 

The orcas joined the sailor off the coast of Portugal and continued to attack his boat for 30 minutes — even after help arrived.  (SWNS)

But after checking the app in Sagres and seeing that no sightings were recorded that day, he went ahead with his sail. 

"Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucky," he said. 

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Philouceros believes the orcas were younger — noting they were only about 20 feet long. 

The orcas completely destroyed the rudder of the man's boat.  (SWNS)

The sailor did say, however, that he doesn’t believe the orcas wanted to sink the boat — something they easily could have done. 

"The attack wasn’t too violent," he told SWNS. 

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"The boat moved, it rotated, but it didn’t capsize," he said.

This was Philouceros’ first experience with an orca attack — also noting that it happened very quickly.