Sea World Trainer killed during show

[marius97]

ETA: Early reports were not fully correct. It sounds like the trainer slipped and fell during a dine with shamu show. She was either accidently pulled down or the orca took her to the bottom to play with her. We pray for the trainer, her family and friends.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Info:

ORLANDO, Fla. – A trainer at SeaWorld Orlando died Wednesday after a killer whale attacked her in front of a horrified audience.

Orange County Fire Rescue spokesman John Mulhall said paramedics were called to the Shamu Stadium at the theme park resort where they found a worker who could not be revived.

Park guest Victoria Biniak told WKMG-TV that the trainer had just finished explaining to the audience the show they were about to see.

The whale "took off really fast in the tank, and then he came back, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started thrashing around, and one of her shoes flew off," Biniak told the station.

"He was thrashing her around pretty good," she said. "It was violent."

The guests were asked to leave and the park was closed.

There have been several previous attacks on whale trainers at SeaWorld parks.

In Nov. 2006, trainer Kenneth Peters, 39, was bitten and held underwater several times by a 7,000-pound killer whale during a show at SeaWorld's San Diego park. He escaped with a broken foot. The 17-foot-long orca who attacked him was the dominant female of SeaWorld San Diego's seven killer whales. She had attacked Peters two other times, in 1993 and 1999.

In 2004, another whale at the company's San Antonio park tried to hit one of the trainers and attempted to bite him. He also escaped.

In December, a whale drowned a trainer at a Spanish zoo.

At the Orlando SeaWorld, the body of a naked man was found scratched, bruised and draped over a 5-ton orca named Tilikum in July 1999. Daniel Dukes, 27, reportedly made his way past security at SeaWorld, remaining in the park after it had closed. Wearing only his underwear, Dukes either jumped, fell or was pulled into the frigid water of Tilikum's huge tank.

An autopsy ruled that he died of hypothermia in the 50-degree water. But they also said it appeared Tilikum bit the man and tore off his swimming trunks, likely believing he was a toy to play with.

Dukes' parents filed a lawsuit against the park later that year but ended up withdrawing it.

Link to CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/02/24/killer.whale.trainer.death/index.html?hpt=T1

 

[rebecca06261]

^the Orlando Sentinel is still reporting the eye witness account that was originally reported. Where did you find the information that the earlier account was inaccurate? Just curious as I would like to read the article- thanks


EDIT- never mind, I hit refresh and got the answer. thanks

 

[rebecca06261]

The odd thing about this whole icky mess is that eye witness accounts directly contradict Sea World's account of things. That's disturbing.

 

[KYMickey]

Sea World certainly doesn't want to make it look like the killer whales are dangerous. It is much better PR to make it look like it was an accident when the trainer slipped and fell in. If you look around the various news agencies you'll see where several customers and even a few staff members have unofficially said the whale jumped out of the water and pulled her in. Hopefully the truth will come out in won't be buried under corporate smokescreens!

 

[doconeill]

Several reports also indicate that this is the same orca, Tilikum, that was involved in the 1999 incident.

OSHA will probably be involved and at that point the conflicts in the reports will likely be resolved.

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

I pray for her family and friends as well. That's so horrible, I can't believe they can get away with shows with the Orcas if they are dangerous enough to cause death. Maybe they should stick with Dolphins and Beluga (How in the world do you spell that!?) Whales.

 

[lindap1]

Maybe they'll finally realize that these are WILD animals and should be left in the wild not used to entertain people!
Thoughts and prayers to the trainer's family

 

[CanadianGuy]

Several reports also indicate that this is the same orca, Tilikum, that was involved in the 1999 incident.

OSHA will probably be involved and at that point the conflicts in the reports will likely be resolved.

Unfortunately this the third death where Tilikum was involved. There was also a death at a facility involving this same animal in British Columbia Canada in the early 90's.

It's so easy to forget these are in fact WILD animals who are capable of dangerous moves. Altho, I do have to wonder if this particular mammal is a poor choice for this kind of 'zoo like' environment.

K

 

[Luv2Roam]

Sadly, the latest I have read and heard is the trainer's long pony tail triggered something -- whether play or instinct with the whale thinking it was a fish slapping against him.
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/...il_triggered_killer_whale_attack.html?cid=rss

 

[Disco]

Hmm,
Saw a report that Tilikum was considered too aggressive and not used in shows (that or trainers didn't go in the water with him, wasn't perfectly clear). He is also the largest Orca in captivity.
It also confirmed that this was the third death he was involved in and his second confirmed kill. The naked man found in his tank was a whole bunch of weirdness.
So if he wasn't in the show was the trainer just walking by his/a separate tank and he leapt out and grabber her? Orcas are known for coming up on land to catch prey.
It could've been an instinct reaction by the whale. Just like my cats when anything small zips by them they pounce regardless of what it is. Tilikum saw something out of the corner of his eye walking by his tank and 5 ton "POUNCE!"
These trainers know that it is a dangerous job and these animals can kill them on a whim. They sign up fully prepared to accept these consequences. The whales are in no way to blamed.
Most people probably don't know what the most dangerous profession in the US is. No, it isn't not crab fishing, its elephant training.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Saw this and thought it well done:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/18346387

 

[scot@dvcstore]

Very unfortunate situation. The trainers are very well aware of the risks they take everyday doing a job they love and believe in. To bad there is not a better way for society to view these amazing animals without them being in captivity.

 

[disneydreamer12]

My younger sister was supposed to see that show while she was in Florida, but my parents sayed that they would rather stay an extra day at WDW and when i called them and told them the news, the were shocked.