Company fought citations in death of killer whale trainer
Following a two-week trial, SeaWorld has lost its legal battle to overturn OSHA safety citations, and will have to change policies involving its employees and the six-ton orca whales it keeps in captivity in order to entertain park visitors.
The company was cited after the gruesome death of Dawn Brancheau, an orca trainer, in February, 2010. SeaWorld spectators watched in horror as Brancheau was dragged under and dismembered by an orca named Tilikum. At a hearing afterward, SeaWorld’s employees said the whale showed no indications that he might engage in aggressive behavior, and that Ms. Brancheau correctly followed all of SeaWorld’s protocols during her interaction with him.