FLIGHT prices from Spain to Rome for the next few days have soared since Tuesday’s announcement that the funeral of Pope Francis will take place this Saturday.

Roman Catholics looking to make the journey to the Vatican City have been in a scramble for bookings with heavy demand pumping up fares.

The best offers are from the big two airports at Barcelona and Madrid in contrast to dramatic price rises elsewhere in Spain- especially from low-cost carriers.

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Price hikes are also expected around the time that the Conclave of Cardinals meets to choose a new pontiff from May 5.

Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder, said: “We’ll definitely see an increase in flight prices to Rome and to Italy over the next few weeks, as the faithful flock to pay their respects and potentially to see the announcement of the new Pope.”

A Valencian parish priest trying to organise a trip to Rome for the funeral said: “From Monday to today, prices have risen tremendously.”

The best offers appear to be from Barcelona where flying out with Vueling on Friday and returning with Wizz on Monday comes in at just €137, with extras like luggage to be added.

National carrier Iberia out of Madrid has a basic price of €350 per person, but Italy’s ITA Airways have prices that are over €100 lower.

The big price rises have come at Spain’s provincial airports with some incredible charges.

A Ryanair return flight from Alicante-Elche between Friday and Monday is now coming in at €525 per head, and that’s before taking luggage into account and other extras.

But costs tumble by close to 50% if flights from Alicante are taken to Barcelona or Frankfurt and then to Rome by using carriers like Vueling or Lufthansa.

Valencia airport has eye-watering prices as well, with a Ryanair return service priced at €666- with add ons not included.

Wizz is even more expensive with a basic charge of €680.

The following weekend, the same Wizz flight is €137 while Ryanair costs €150.

THE ALMADRABA tuna fishing campaign officially got underway on Monday, with the first Atlantic bluefin tuna being hoisted onto the decks of the fishing trawlers off the coast of Barbate in Cádiz province.

Fishermen working for Petaca Chico, the company that operates the largest of the four remaining almadrabas in Cádiz, successfully hauled in around 80 Atlantic bluefin tuna during the opening catch.

Using an ancient and sustainable technique that dates back over 3,000 years, they lured the powerful fish into a complex maze of nets, before divers armed with spearguns entered the water to deliver a swift, humane shot to each specimen.

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Some of the tuna caught during this first haul weighed over 400 kilograms. Once secured, the fish were rapidly transported to shore to be processed and sold fresh.

But the tuna season also brings a rather unwelcome guest back to the Strait of Gibraltar: orcas.

These intelligent marine predators are known to follow the migratory path of the Atlantic bluefin tuna and ‘attack’ small boats.

Just last week, another orca encounter occurred off the coast of Tarifa, where an Italian sailing vessel was ‘attacked’ by a pod of orcas.

The orcas ‘play’ with small boats, aiming for the rudders with their heads in their aquatic football game, and in many cases causing damage to the boats.

The skipper of the sailing vessel had to contact emergency services because his rudder was destroyed by the orcas’ game.

These incidents are becoming increasingly frequent, particularly around the Strait, where encounters between boats and orcas have risen sharply since 2020.

READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Yachtie warns of killing orca ‘with a tear in my eye’ if dangerous interactions in the Strait of Gibraltar are not tackled this summer – Olive Press News Spain

While no fatalities have occurred, the damage to vessels can be significant, and the fear among sailors is growing.

Some local captains are now threatening to take matters into their own hands, with one even suggesting killing an orca to ‘teach them a lesson’ if authorities fail to intervene.

The orcas hurt the local economy, because many sailors are hesitant to get on the water again with their vessels, afraid that they will fall victim to the orcas’ damaging game.

With summer approaching, concerns are mounting over a possible surge in orca encounters, which could have negative effects for tourism and the broader maritime industry in the region.

Whether local or national authorities will implement measures to address the situation remains to be seen.