Posted on 02/24/2010 12:31:11 PM PST by b4its2late
A member of SeaWorld Orlando's family of killer whales and his trainer swim to the surface during the show 'Believe.' (SEAWORLD)
One person is dead at SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium, following an incident this afternoon, an Orange County Sheriff's Office official confirmed.
Orange County Fire Rescue responded to SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium this afternoon on report of a person who was not breathing.
Details about the incident are not yet available, but a Sheriff's Office official confirmed it is a death investigation.
A local TV station is reporting that a female trainer was killed after she was grabbed by one of the theme park's whales at the start of a public show.
Park guest Victoria Biniak told Local 6 that the trainer was a veteran of SeaWorld and had just finished explaining to the audience the show they were about to see.
At that point, Biniak said, the whale came up from the water, grabbed the trainer around the waste and "thrashed her all around" to the point the trainer's shoe fell off.
Guests were evacuated and were later told the park was shut down, Biniak told Local 6.
Rescue personnel were called to the theme park at 2 p.m. Calls to SeaWorld and Orange County Fire Rescue were not immediately returned.
The Sheriff's Office is en route.
They knew it immediately. He texted me and asked if there was anything on the net yet and there wasn’t until about a half hour after it happened.
I’m waiting for the PETA Press Conference.
parsy, who hopes they don’t euthanize Shamu
Looks like there is some big-time liability here on SeaWorld’s part. For their sake, they’d better be all lawyered up.
They knew it immediately, yes.
What part of mandatory union break-time don't you understand!!!
“”...grabbed the trainer around the waste and...”
If a killer whale grabbed me, I’m sure I would have “waste”.
Probably not what they are referring to, though.
Though they didn’t know if she was killed immediately or just hurting big time.
At other links the spelling was correct so maybe it was transcribed from the article. Or, maybe they realized the mistake and corrected it.
Found ‘em! Chuckles the Clown Episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgIDwJHTYt8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OtVlsKm6fg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwC361O13gk&feature=related
parsy, who is watching
I read in the thread that the trainer was actually taken into the pool and ultimately drowned. OMG! How awful and has to be hard on all who saw. Prayers
Local 6 is reporting that the whale involved in the incident is named Tillikum, and that whale has been involved in at least one other incident at the park.
SeaWorld has had incidents with its killer whales in the past. In 2005, a trainer was injured by what park officials called an “overly excited” whale that bumped the trainer during a live performance. The injuries were minor.
In 1999, the dead nude body of a homeless man was found draped across one of the whales. The man, Daniel Dukes, was thought to have either snuck into the park after hours or hidden out until after it closed in order to swim the frigid whale tank.
And in 2006, a killer whale at SeaWorld Texas in San Antonio attacked a trainer, sending him to the hospital but sparing him serious injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office and SeaWorld officials have said they will hold a 4:15 p.m. briefing.
Excuse me, according to the editors at the Orlando Sentinel the proper spelling would be "waisted"!
How kewl. some people have all the fun. Thanks for sharing this.
Interestingly the Orcas would move off a distance, blow, and then come full speed towards the Mother and her baby.
It was at Monterrey Bay,CA. She had given birth and was behind the Pod. She decided to take a shortcut, which put her in direct route of the Orcas laying in wait. she would put her body betwen the Orcas and the baby, taking the full brunt of the attacks. children were crying and people very upset.
She managed to get the baby close to shore where the Orcas would not come. Just amazing.
I just walked in from lunch and heard about this (Fox was on the TV). How awful it must have been to witness!
This is not the original video I saw but it is a shorter version by nat. geo.
2 hour battle to save her baby. The Killers are relentless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjQddAAjk9M
I never have understood people that think these dangerous and wild animals can be tamed. It is just plain stupid to have any of the animals you mentioned in direct proxcimity of humans. Leave them alone and get out of their way is my motto.
Did you ever see The battle at Kruger? Was on nat’l geo channel the other day. Unbelievable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM
parsy, who was fascinated
Whalenfreude?
ROTFLMAO! I’m sure there’s a word, but it slips by me. Oh. Freude-an slips-—
parsy, who had a year of German, jahrs ago
Dolphins and whales are by nature social, and historically have worked in conjunction for common aims. There are ancient accounts of dolphins assisting fisherman and sailors lost at sea. In the last century, killer whales were known to round up other species of whales and drive them toward whaling boats.
Having said that, I don't attribute any of this to any altruistic intention on their part, or any particular affinity for humanity, but rather a learned behavior that makes it easier for them to eat when they work in conjunction with those strange terrestrial bipeds. It's probably not unlike the very early relationships between humans and wild dogs. In that regard, they may be a bit more tractable than other wild animals. Anyone considering an orca a cute, friendly domestic animal should be willing to keep a 6-ton dingo as a house pet.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.