12-08-2025
Jessica Radcliffe orca attack video was fake; but these cases aren't. Times when orcas killed trainers
Jessica Radcliffe did not die in an orca attack. Neither is she a real person. Despite a video going viral on social media – mainly Facebook and TikTok – there is no evidence of any marine animal trainer by the name of Jessica Radcliffe, nor are there any reports of a recent orca attack on a trainer. While there are numerous cases where orcas have injured their trainers, there are a few times when there have been fatalities. Image for representation(Unsplash)
Needless to say, such a case, where an animal in captivity kills a trainer, would have made headlines.
The video being circulated is an AI-generated one, and Forbes noted that its virality may be explained by studies on social media videos, which show that people are primarily drawn to negative content.
While this case turned out to be fake, it was based on real incidents that have taken place in the past, which is perhaps why so many people bought into it as well. Here's a look at past instances where orcas in captivity have killed their trainers.
Past instances of orcas killing trainers
While there are numerous cases where orcas have injured their trainers, there are a few times when there have been fatalities.
The most recent one was in February 2010, when Tilikum killed Dawn Brancheau, an experienced trainer at SeaWorld Orlando. Tilikum reportedly dragged her down into the water by her hair, drowning her, though some accounts state that the trainer was dragged down by her forearm. Either way, the autopsy put the cause of death as 'multiple traumatic injuries and drowning.'
Tilikum has been involved in two more deaths. In 1999, a man by the name of Daniel Dukes was found naked and draped across Tilikum's back. The autopsy showed he'd drowned and Dukes' body bore bruises, abrasions, and marks consistent with orca bites. The man had reportedly dived into the orca tank after the park closed, which is when the tragedy befell him.
In 1991, at the Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia, a trainer fell into the tank. One of the orcas grabbed Keltie Byrne by her foot and pulled her in. Two other orcas – one of which was Tilikum, repeatedly grabbed Byrne, who ultimately drowned, eyewitnesses had said at the time. Reportedly, all three animals blocked her escape, pushing and throwing her around the pool, and continuously dragging her back to the center of the tank each time she tried to get out. Apart from Tilikum, the other two orcas involved were Nootka IV and Haida II.
These three aside, Keto is the only other orca known for a fatal attack on a trainer. This took place in December 2009, when 29-year-old Alexis Martinez died during a rehearsal for a show that was to take place on Christmas day at Spain's Loro Parque. Keto rammed into him, drowning him, and while there was initial insistence from the park authorities that this was an accident, they later admitted that the orca's behavior was not 'fully predictable'. The trainer, Alexis Martínez, was deemed to have died of multiple compression fractures and tears to vital organs. He had bite marks all over his body.
While these are three instances where people died, there have been numerous instances where orcas in captivity have shown aggressive behavior, and attacked trainers, raising questions about keeping these creatures in such settings. Orcas, or killer whales, are highly intelligent, social predators found all over the world.
