Overview

• Since Thursday, multiple interactions near Costa da Vela have affected at least three to four recreational sailboats, including a German‑flagged vessel that lost its rudder north of the Cíes Islands.
• Salvamento Marítimo’s Salvamar Mirach towed the disabled boat to the Real Club Náutico de Vigo as a Guardia Civil patrol kept the animals at distance and issued a securité radio warning to nearby traffic.
• On Saturday morning, three orca groups were located across the Rías Baixas (Corrubedo, between Sálvora and A Illa de Arousa, and near Os Esqueiros), with local reports of a catamaran losing its rudder after approaching too closely.
• Witnesses and responders noted unusually near‑shore movements along rocky outcrops, and authorities reiterated guidance to avoid stopping, steer toward shallower coastal waters within safety limits, and avoid illegal deterrents that could harm cetaceans.
• Researchers link the seasonal presence to tuna movements and continue monitoring photo‑identified individuals, while Circe and the ministry report an approximate 80% drop in Strait interactions attributed to routing and real‑time tracking.