Greentext

::: spoiler .

2000s

On July 8, 2002, Tamarie Tollison, a 28-year-old trainer, was hospitalized for a compound fracture of the forearm as well as several lesser injuries after an incident occurred in Shamu Stadium at SeaWorld San Diego. She was working poolside with two of the park's orcas, Orkid and Splash. "She was playing with the whales, talking to them… the next thing we know, as it appears from the video, she was pulled into the water," said SeaWorld spokesperson Darla Davis.[68] Visitor video shows that the trainer was pulled in by her foot by the female Orkid. Both Orkid and Splash pulled the trainer under as she screamed for help. A fellow trainer took the chain off the gate of an adjoining pool to imply to Orkid and Splash that Kasatka⁠ ⁠— a more dominant female⁠ ⁠— was coming in, upon which Orkid, who was holding Tamarie at the time, released her and she was able to escape. Park officials stated that the trainer exited the pool without assistance and was taken to a local hospital, where a pin was needed to reset her fractured arm.[69][70]

In late July 2004, during a show at the SeaWorld park in San Antonio, Texas, a male orca named Kyuquot repeatedly jumped on top of his trainer, Steve Aibel, forcing him underwater and barring the trainer from exiting the pool. After several minutes, the trainer was able to calm the animal, and he escaped unharmed.[71] "Veterinarians believe the whale... felt threatened by the trainer, perhaps a result of the effects of adolescent hormones."[72][73]

On November 15, 2006, a SeaWorld California trainer was injured when the park's 18-year-old female orca Orkid seized veteran trainer Brian Rokeach by the foot and pulled him to the bottom of the tank, refusing to release him for an extended period of time. Orkid let Rokeach go only after heeding fellow trainer Kenneth Peters' repeated attempts to call the animal's attention back to the stage. Rokeach suffered a torn ligament in his ankle but was not taken to the hospital. In response to the incident, SeaWorld increased to five the number of trainers required during performances and in-water-training. This cautionary measure was ineffective, as two weeks later trainer Kenneth Peters was involved in a similar incident (below) with a different orca.[74]

On November 29, 2006, Kasatka, one of SeaWorld San Diego's seven orcas, grabbed her trainer Ken Peters by the foot and dragged him to the bottom of the tank several times during an evening show at Shamu Stadium. After nine minutes, Kasatka released Peters and he escaped. The orca then followed the trainer, proceeding over a netted barrier towards him. This was the second documented incident of Kasatka attacking Peters, and the third most widely reported of all the SeaWorld incidents.[2]

On September 9, 2008, during a show at Marineland Antibes in France, a 26-year-old female orca named Freya began acting oddly in the middle of the show, then pulled an unidentified trainer under the water. The trainer resurfaced after a few seconds, then Freya jumped on top of him twice, and began to push him under and through the water. The trainer tried to regain control by climbing on the orca's back, but was thrown off. He eventually managed to get to the edge and climb out, seemingly unhurt.[75]

In the spring of 2009, a 5-year-old female orca Skyla turned on an unidentified trainer while performing in one of Loro Parque Tenerife's daily shows. Skyla started pushing her trainer through the water and up against the side of the pool. Subsequently her "water work" was suspended, and only senior trainers are allowed to work with her.[76]

On December 24, 2009, 29-year-old Alexis Martínez died during a rehearsal for a Christmas Day show at Loro Parque in Spain. The 14-year-old male orca Keto, who was born at SeaWorld Orlando Florida, rammed Martínez in the chest, rendering him unconscious. Martínez drowned before fellow trainers could rescue him. The park repeatedly asserted that this was not an attack but an unfortunate accident caused by roughhousing; however, the park also described Keto as "not... completely predictable." The subsequent autopsy report revealed that Alexis died due to multiple compression fractures and tears to his vital organs, with bite marks all over his body.[77] Martínez was considered one of the most experienced trainers in Loro Parque, having worked there since 2004.[78]

2010s
Tilikum, who was involved in 3 deaths, swims in the Dine with Shamu exhibit in Orlando, Florida On February 24, 2010, the large Icelandic bull orca Tilikum killed Dawn Brancheau, an experienced trainer, at the end of a "Dine with Shamu" show at SeaWorld Orlando.[79] SeaWorld officials stated that Tilikum grabbed Brancheau by her ponytail and pulled her into the water, drowning her. Eyewitness trainers and audience members, however, stated that Tilikum dragged Brancheau into the water by her forearm.[80] The autopsy determined that the trainer died of "multiple traumatic injuries and drowning".[81] Tilikum was involved in two previous fatalities. He died in 2017, having been the largest breeding male in captivity. In July 2012, Shouka, a female orca on a breeding loan to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom from Marineland France, lunged out of the water during a show, throwing her trainer several feet backwards. The orca repeatedly lunged out of the water, attempting to reach her trainer. The incident was caught on video by an audience member. Critics of marine parks have blamed lack of companionship for Shouka's aggression, as she did at one time have a companion bottlenose dolphin named Merlin who was subsequently moved to another area of the park. Shouka was transferred to Sea World San Diego soon after this incident.[82][83][84] In December 2012, killer whale Lolita (Tokitae) is documented lunging at visitors as she was being filmed from the observation deck.[85] In September 2015, a trainer slipped and fell into the show tank during a performance at Moskvarium in Moscow, Russia. The three whales (Narnia, Nord, and Naja) became agitated, and as the trainer climbed out of the water, they thrashed their tails at him; no injuries were reported.[86]

2020s
On June 13, 2022, an unidentified trainer was washing "paint and food chips" out of the mouth of the two-and-a-half-ton killer whale, Malia. The trainer was said to have broken the three foot rule and moved her right arm across the whale's mouth when the whale bit down and then "immediately" released the trainer. The trainer was taken to "Orlando Regional Medical Center, where she underwent surgery to repair multiple fractures to the forearm and wrist