1991 Accident & Closure
On 20 February 1991, Keltie Byrne, a 20-year-old student and part-time orca trainer, slipped and fell into the whale pool after a show. The three orcas dragged and repeatedly submerged her until she drowned, despite other trainers' efforts to rescue her. The poor relations between the whales, unfamiliarity with trainers in the water, and the pregnancy of at least one of the females (Haida II) were cited as possible causes.
Sealand of the Pacific closed shortly after the incident in November of 1992, all three of whales were sold to SeaWorld in the United States. Tilikum and Nootka IV went to SeaWorld Orlando, while Haida II and her baby Kyuquot went to SeaWorld San Antonio. As of February 2010, only Tilikum and Kyuquot were alive.
Tillikum has been involved in two further deaths at SeaWorld Orlando, including one on February 24, 2010.
Read more about this topic: Sealand Of The Pacific
Famous quotes containing the word accident:
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