SeaWorld trainer yelled ‘my neck is broken’ after being body slammed by most dangerous orca
In 1987, Joanne Webber, a 26-year-old trainer, suffered a broken neck when the orca Kandu V landed on her during a training session, pushing her to the bottom of a 40-foot pool. John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer, noted that Webber yelled, “I think my neck is broken” while trying to escape. The incident, which left her in severe pain, led to a lawsuit against SeaWorld, settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
After this incident, SeaWorld prohibited trainers from swimming with orcas, claiming the animals were gentle and well-cared for. Webber’s lawsuit alleged that she was misled about the dangers of the orcas and that staff delayed her medical treatment. Kandu V had a history of aggression, having attacked another trainer, Jonathan Smith, months earlier.
Kandu V continued to perform until her tragic death in 1989 during a performance. She severely injured herself while ramming into her daughter, Orkid, resulting in a fatal injury. SeaWorld described the incident as a common behavior among orcas. In 2016, the park announced it would stop breeding orcas in captivity.
