Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World

icehog3 · 02-24-2010, 04:22 PM

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Officials in Florida say a veteran 40-year-old trainer at SeaWorld was fatally injured by a whale when she slipped and fell in its tank.

SeaWorld Orlando President Dan Brown says officials are investigating but it appears to be an accident.

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.

Mugen910 · 02-24-2010, 04:23 PM

ugh..that's horrible!

longknocker · 02-24-2010, 04:26 PM

So Sorry To Hear This. I Guess We All Have To Realize That Whales are still "Wild Animals".

hotreds · 02-24-2010, 04:29 PM

http://www.amazon.com/Man-prey-James...7054119&sr=8-1

Razorhog · 02-24-2010, 04:36 PM

Wow, what a way to go. Crazy

14holestogie · 02-24-2010, 04:53 PM

Wow. Saw that show a lot of years ago. Could not imagine the trauma of the people (and kids) watching. So sad.

G G · 02-24-2010, 05:55 PM

Sad

MedicCook · 02-24-2010, 06:37 PM

My condolences to her family. Killer whales are not pets. It is just like the lion tamer who sticks his head in the lions mouth. One day that lion is going to bite.

ucla695 · 02-25-2010, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MedicCook

My condolences to her family. Killer whales are not pets. It is just like the lion tamer who sticks his head in the lions mouth. One day that lion is going to bite.

As unfortunate as it is, these are dangerous animals and it's in their nature to do these types of things.

tenbaseg · 02-24-2010, 06:51 PM

That's very sad.

markem · 02-24-2010, 06:56 PM

This is a very sad event. The local news decided that the one witness interview that they would show was a women saying how nice it was that they refunded their full purchase price.

Sometimes the local news just sux.

smitdavi · 02-24-2010, 06:58 PM

It's hard to believe that this same whale killed someone at another location and they just sold it thinking that all it needed was a bigger tank. Was I correct in reading that it has killed 3 people in the last 20 years or so?

Jbailey · 02-24-2010, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitdavi

It's hard to believe that this same whale killed someone at another location and they just sold it thinking that all it needed was a bigger tank. Was I correct in reading that it has killed 3 people in the last 20 years or so?

I heard the same thing about the three people too.

VirtualSmitty · 02-24-2010, 07:04 PM

Thats' terrible. What a way to go.

Mr.Erskine · 02-24-2010, 07:28 PM

Wow! It's been years since I went to a Sea World, and I never would have dreamed anything like that would happen

St. Lou Stu · 02-24-2010, 07:36 PM

Sad, but still better than being maimed by a gay white tiger while wearing a codpiece.

floydpink · 02-25-2010, 03:39 PM

I have family in town and am going tommorow. This sad loss will be on my mind. I didn't tell my 5 year old as she wouldn't understand it wasn't her hero Shamu.

02-25-2010, 03:50 PM

That is really, really sad.

It's a shame to say, stuff like this does not surprise me. Whales are highly intelligent and they are used to swimming thousands of miles in the ocean. They get forced to perform and just like when a person snaps, an animal can as well.

mosesbotbol · 02-25-2010, 04:00 PM

Working with large animals is inherently dangerous. People are killed in all lines of work.

akumushi · 02-25-2010, 04:16 PM

I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more often. Orcas are extremely intelligent predators that eat seals/sea lions, even other whales that we keep up in tiny pens and force to do circus tricks day in day out. They're not dogs, and I think that sometimes the trainers get complacent and forget that they are dealing with extremely dangerous, wild animals that could eat them in one bite. It's a shame that someone died, and certainly terrible that it happened in front of a crowd full of kids, but she ought to have been a little more careful.

02-24-2010, 04:22 PM	#1
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,782 Trading: (60)	Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World ORLANDO, Fla. -- Officials in Florida say a veteran 40-year-old trainer at SeaWorld was fatally injured by a whale when she slipped and fell in its tank. SeaWorld Orlando President Dan Brown says officials are investigating but it appears to be an accident. 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. __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

02-24-2010, 04:23 PM	#2
Mugen910 I <3 Huy Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Location Location: First Name Posts: 8,387 Trading: (106)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World ugh..that's horrible! __________________ I'm not antisocial, I just think people are stupid.

02-24-2010, 04:26 PM	#3
longknocker Postwhore Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Greg Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 11,218 Trading: (82)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World So Sorry To Hear This. I Guess We All Have To Realize That Whales are still "Wild Animals".

02-24-2010, 04:29 PM	#4
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,670 Trading: (63)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World http://www.amazon.com/Man-prey-James...7054119&sr=8-1 __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.

02-24-2010, 04:36 PM	#5
Razorhog Feeling at Home Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: Beau Location: NE Arkansas Posts: 600 Trading: (4)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World Wow, what a way to go. Crazy

02-24-2010, 04:53 PM	#6
14holestogie Serial banter killer Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tim Location: Clintonville, WI Posts: 4,341 Trading: (52)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World Wow. Saw that show a lot of years ago. Could not imagine the trauma of the people (and kids) watching. So sad. __________________ *I loves me a Parti*

02-24-2010, 05:55 PM	#7
G G BR549 Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Greg Location: Taylor, FL. Posts: 12,737 Trading: (10)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World Sad

02-24-2010, 06:37 PM	#8
MedicCook Mila smoked my cigar Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Ryan Location: Schaghticoke, NY Posts: 10,946 Trading: (7)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World My condolences to her family. Killer whales are not pets. It is just like the lion tamer who sticks his head in the lions mouth. One day that lion is going to bite. __________________ 27 World Series Championship's "If your wife doesn't like the aroma of your cigar, change your wife.", Zino Davidoff

02-24-2010, 06:51 PM	#10
tenbaseg Saying no to daily deals! Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Garrett Location: Masshole Nation Posts: 1,094 Trading: (40)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World That's very sad.

02-24-2010, 06:56 PM	#11
markem Bunion Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Mark Location: Second Star on the Right Posts: 22,647 Trading: (47)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World This is a very sad event. The local news decided that the one witness interview that they would show was a women saying how nice it was that they refunded their full purchase price. Sometimes the local news just sux. __________________ I refuse to belong to any organization that would have me as a member. ~ Groucho Marx

02-24-2010, 06:58 PM	#12
smitdavi Ambassador of Quan Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: David Location: Bloomington, IN Posts: 1,434 Trading: (9)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World It's hard to believe that this same whale killed someone at another location and they just sold it thinking that all it needed was a bigger tank. Was I correct in reading that it has killed 3 people in the last 20 years or so?

02-24-2010, 07:04 PM	#14
VirtualSmitty WiP!? Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Joe Location: The Evil Empire Posts: 2,084 Trading: (0)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World Thats' terrible. What a way to go. __________________ We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid - Benjamin Franklin

02-24-2010, 07:28 PM	#15
Mr.Erskine Looking up Join Date: Jan 2010 First Name: Benjamin Location: Dover, DE Posts: 297 Trading: (1)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World Wow! It's been years since I went to a Sea World, and I never would have dreamed anything like that would happen __________________ Cornbread... Ain't nothin' wrong with that.

02-24-2010, 07:36 PM	#16
St. Lou Stu Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tim Location: Belleville, IL (St. Louis) Posts: 2,304 Trading: (21)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World Sad, but still better than being maimed by a gay white tiger while wearing a codpiece. __________________ Pretending to play golf since 1989

02-25-2010, 03:39 PM	#17
floydpink crazy diamond Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Pete Location: Orlando Posts: 1,955 Trading: (17)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World I have family in town and am going tommorow. This sad loss will be on my mind. I didn't tell my 5 year old as she wouldn't understand it wasn't her hero Shamu. __________________ "If we weren't all crazy we would go insane"

02-25-2010, 03:50 PM	#18
Darrell Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World That is really, really sad. It's a shame to say, stuff like this does not surprise me. Whales are highly intelligent and they are used to swimming thousands of miles in the ocean. They get forced to perform and just like when a person snaps, an animal can as well.

02-25-2010, 04:00 PM	#19
mosesbotbol That's a Corgi Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Moses Location: Boston Posts: 6,171 Trading: (6)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World Working with large animals is inherently dangerous. People are killed in all lines of work. __________________ Port Wine & Claret \| British Cars \| Welsh Corgi's

02-25-2010, 04:16 PM	#20
akumushi Habanos Apologist Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1,298 Trading: (11)	Re: Whale trainer killed by whale at Sea World I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more often. Orcas are extremely intelligent predators that eat seals/sea lions, even other whales that we keep up in tiny pens and force to do circus tricks day in day out. They're not dogs, and I think that sometimes the trainers get complacent and forget that they are dealing with extremely dangerous, wild animals that could eat them in one bite. It's a shame that someone died, and certainly terrible that it happened in front of a crowd full of kids, but she ought to have been a little more careful. __________________ "Eventually, however, every ash must drop. And the drop usually is as sudden as it is final."