The Navy coordinated the rescue of five crew members at dawn this Sunday who were on a life raft after the sailboat they were following sank after encountering killer whales about 6 miles (11 km) from Sines.
The five Portuguese-born crew members were rescued by the fishing vessel Festas André, which was in the vicinity of the ship’s sinking, according to a Navy statement.
The Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Lisbon received a message from a sailboat at 00:03, which was taking on water after encountering killer whales. The fishing vessel “Festas André” was immediately activated and rescued 5 elements, and the vessel from the Sines rescue station, which escorted the fishing vessel to the port of Sines, where it safely moored at 2:43.
During the holiday season, the Navy also left advice regarding killer whale sightings: “Interactions with these mammals are mainly due to the curious behavior of young killer whales, which are attracted to the ships’ agile and noisy structures, such as the rudder. and the propeller, may come too close to the vessels and strike moving structures with the possibility of a complete or partial break of the rudder.”
If these mammals are found, all sailors are advised to turn off the engine to slow down the rotation of the propeller and immobilize the steering door, thereby preventing the interaction of these mammals with the moving structures of the vessels, ”he said. adds Marine.
Source: CM Jornal