A dramatic video has resurfaced online showing the moment a SeaWorld orca dragged a trainer underwater - yet again, raising questions about keeping wild animals in captivity.
The clip, taken back in 2006, was released to the public in 2012 as part of an ongoing lawsuit against the theme park by the US Secretary of Labor and has resurfaced again online.
The harrowing footage shows the moment a 5,000lb killer whale called Kasatka drags his trainer, Ken Peters from San Diego, under the water for an extensive amount of time.
In the clip, you can see Peters getting ready to do what was called a "rocket hop" with the orca while an excited crowd of spectators watched on.
However, seconds after diving into the water, Kasatka grabs onto the trainer's foot and starts thrashing him about under the water for a total of 15 minutes.
Thankfully, Peters manages to break free from the animal's clutches and slowly ushers it away from him before rapidly swimming to safety. But perhaps the most harrowing part of this entire ordeal is watching the whale turn back around and start pursuing his trainer once again.
Peters, as well as the other trainers at the scene, notice this and pull the man out of the shallow end of the pool, but he stumbles due to the injury on his leg.
Watch the full clip below:The terrified trainer manages to receive treatment at the scene, but this footage remains a frightening reminder of the dangers of containing wild animals for entertainment purposes.
"These wonderful animals should not be used or kept in aquariums/aqua park. Orca from freedom is not violence against man. But an orca held captive becomes a killer. Because it is a very intelligent animal and knows that it is being held captive by humans," wrote one user who watched the video online.
"No sympathy for those who keep these magnificent creatures in captivity," another added.
A third also echoed the same point writing: "Probably shouldn't mess with an animal that has the word killer in its name. They're known for being unpredictable. It's called common sense which humans lack in greatly."
At the time, Judge Ken Welsch, who was overseeing the lawsuit that accused SeaWorld of endangering multiple staff members, referred to the video, which was captured by SeaWorld cameras as "chilling."
Peters was lucky to have escaped this type of attack with minor injuries while others, such as Dawn Brancheu in Orlando who was killed by a whale named Tilikum, were not.
Per the SeaWorld official website, the company announced in 2016 that "the orcas in their care would be the last generation to live at their parks and that they would end their orca breeding program".
But the Whale and Dolphin Conservation adds that there were 55 orcas in captivity across the globe (as of March 2024). "SeaWorld holds 18 orcas in its three parks in the United States. At least 44 orcas have died at SeaWorld," the Whale and Dolphin Conservation adds.
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