U-T San Diego: “A judge ruled Wednesday that SeaWorld will have to find a way to protect its trainers during performances involving killer whales, a decision that stemmed from a trainer’s 2010 death at the Orlando park.
The ruling, which followed a nine-day hearing last year before an administrative law judge, could potentially keep trainers out of the water during SeaWorld’s iconic Shamu performances at its parks, including San Diego’s.
Long an integral part of the show, the water work was immediately suspended in February 2010 when Dawn Brancheau, a trainer at the Orlando park was battered and drowned by Tilikum, a 12,000-pound male orca, as spectators looked on.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration had fined SeaWorld $75,000 and issued three safety violations, the most serious of which accused the park of exposing its employees to the possibility of being struck by or drowned by killer whales.”
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