![\"Killer](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.marineinsight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/yacht-300x157.jpg?resize=300%2C157&ssl=1\")
<\/div>\n![\"yacht\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.marineinsight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/yacht.jpg?resize=1200%2C628\")
A French family of five, including three children, was rescued by the Portuguese Air Force after a pod of killer whales rammed and sank their yacht off the coast of Portugal on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The 36-foot French-flagged yacht, locally identified as Ti\u2019fare, was sailing over 50 kilometres from Peniche when it came under attack from a group of orcas. The repeated blows breached the hull, causing the vessel to flood and eventually sink.<\/p>\n
Authorities confirmed that the couple and their children, aged eight, ten and twelve, sent out a distress signal before abandoning the yacht in a life raft. They were later picked up by a Peniche-based fishing vessel, Silmar, which responded to the SOS while the Air Force and Navy were mobilised.<\/p>\n
A Portuguese Air Force spokesperson stated that an EH-101 Merlin helicopter from Squadron 751, known as the Pumas, was deployed from Air Base No. 6 in Montijo at around 8.45 p.m.<\/p>\n
The helicopter airlifted the survivors from Silmar and transported them to safety for medical evaluation. The operation concluded at approximately 11 p.m., with all five reported to be safe.<\/p>\n
The rescue mission was coordinated by the Lisbon Search and Rescue Coordination Centre following an activation request from the Portuguese Navy\u2019s Maritime Rescue Centre in Lisbon. A Navy frigate and a lifeboat from the Peniche Port Authority were also dispatched to assist.<\/p>\n
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