The first case: an attack on killer whales in the North Sea

Large predators formerly, among other things, embarked on fishing boats south on the coasts of Europe, in a phenomenon that baffles experts. On Monday, Wim Rutten, a 72-year-old Dutch pensioner, was on his way in a sailboat from Lerwick in the Shetland Islands to Norway.

Wim Rutten had a fishing line in hopes of catching mackerel. Then the huge animal appeared in the clear water, and began crashing against the aluminum hull of the seven-ton boat.

– I shouted: “Damn it!” , Rutten told the Guardian.

– What I thought was the scariest thing was the loud breathing of the animal.

– He seemed to be looking for the crossbar. Then it disappeared – but came back at high speed two or three times.

Dutch is not sure what the Predator wants.

Maybe he just wanted to play. Or look into my eyes. Or get rid of the fishing line.

Experts also had different theories about why killer whales, which can reach nearly ten meters in length, were behaving so aggressively off Portugal and Spain. It can be a violent game. It may also be the case that adults teach youngsters that boats are dangerous and therefore must be attacked, says Alfredo Lopez of Portugal’s GTOA (Grupo de Trabajo Orca Atlántica).

– Maybe they got into trouble, and they’re trying to stop the boats so it doesn’t happen again, he told the Guardian.