A SeaWorld trainer met a horrifying end when a captive orca crushed him and mercilessly toyed with his body.
Keto, the orca born in 1995, has never experienced the freedom of the ocean, spending his life performing at a water park in Tenerife instead.
His mother, known affectionately as ‘Baby Shamu’, was the first orca born in a SeaWorld park. Throughout his life, Keto has sired three offspring: Adán, Victoria, and Ula.
The well-traveled whale has showcased his skills at various parks across the United States including San Diego, Ohio, and Texas, before settling in the Canary Islands.
Sadly, it was here that Keto tragically attacked Alexis Martínez, a seasoned trainer.
Martínez, 29, known for his good looks, generosity, and humor, was experienced in handling these massive marine animals at Loro Parque in Tenerife.
Despite his expertise, Martínez had expressed his concerns about the inherent dangers of working with orcas, reportedly telling his girlfriend that “something could happen at any time” and emphasizing the need to be alert and rested, according to The Sun.
His fears materialized on Christmas Eve, 2009.
The day began routinely as Martínez and Keto prepped for the Christmas performance in the training pool, with Keto seemingly in a good mood, as described in a corporate incident report.
However, Keto’s behavior soon changed, failing to execute several trained behaviors while remaining calm at the surface of the water alongside Martínez.
According to staff, Keto strategically positioned himself between Martínez and the stage, complicating the situation further.
When the underwater stage call was made, Martínez began to swim, but Keto aggressively pushed him down with his rostrum.
Rafael Sanchez, Orca Ocean assistant supervisor, testified (via The Sun) that Keto “moved towards him and hit him and violently played with his body,” highlighting the grave turn of events.
Another trainer tried to regain control using signals, which temporarily succeeded. Keto surfaced for air but quickly dove back to Martínez.
Witnesses were shocked to see Keto resurface with Martínez on the tip of his rostrum, mouth closed, according to the Mirror.
After Martínez was released, he sank to the bottom. Attempts to distract Keto failed as he toyed with the gate, delaying the rescue.
Martínez’s body was finally retrieved after Keto was lured into another pool by a net.
The injuries Martínez sustained were severe, leading to internal bleeding and ultimately, his death was attributed to the orca attack, as detailed in his autopsy.
Following the tragedy, Keto has been labeled as “frustrated and dangerous” by The Whale Sanctuary Project. This incident foreshadowed another tragic event months later when SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by another orca, Tilikum.
Despite their notorious label, wild orcas are generally not a threat to humans, with no known cases of intentional harm, as reported by Business Insider. The term ‘killer whale’ originates from their behavior of preying on other whales, not humans, clarifies Discover Wildlife.