Marine biology student Keltie Byrne worked part-time at Sealand of the Pacific in Canada in 1991.
The horrific event took place after Byrne slipped and fell into a 26-foot pool with two female killer whales and the infamous ‘serial killer’ whale Tilikum.
This marked the start of Tilikum’s controversial reputation.
Tilikum’s captivity, events in his life, and the 2013 documentary Black Fish sparked a mass of controversy and a deeper look into the male whale’s life and what led him to kill three people.
The killer whale was captured in waters off the coast of Iceland in 1983 and put into a concrete holding tank at Hafnarfjördur Marine Zoo near Reykjavíc when it was two years old.
Tilikum was shipped off to Sealand in 1984 and spent 14 years there in captivity in the 26-foot pool with the two female orcas, Haida II and Nootka IV.
Following Byrne’s death, Sealand closed its doors for good 18 months later, and all of the orcas were sold to SeaWorld Florida.
During Tilikum’s life at SeaWorld, the animal was used as a male breeder and in ‘The Shamu Show’, which millions of people would visit just to watch.
The creature, which weighed 12,000 pounds, spent much of its life in isolation.
In 1999, the body of Daniel Dukes was found in Tilikum’s tank. SeaWorld claimed he had trespassed after hours after visiting the park the day before.
In 2010, Dawn Brancheau, a senior orca trainer, was killed by the whale during a show while crowds watched on.
Her death resulted in worldwide coverage, leading SeaWorld to end its orca breeding program and stop the shows.
Experts believe that the creature’s time in captivity made it go ‘psychotic.’
Steve Huxter, who was head of animal training at Sealand at the time of Byrne’s death, shared why he believed the orca killed for the first time: “They never had a plaything in the pool that was so interactive.
“They just got incredibly excited and stimulated.”
Eyewitnesses who were at the park in 1991 said Tilikum grabbed her as the two other orcas prevented the park’s staff from reaching her.
Byrne was reportedly able to reach the surface two times before being dragged underwater again.
Trainer Karen McGee told the Mirror: “I just heard her scream my name.
“I threw the life ring out to her. She was trying to grab the ring, but the whale, basically, wouldn’t let her.
“To them, it was a play session, and she was in the water.”
Visitors also heard her chilling screams, as she shouted: “I don’t want to die.”
It took several hours before they were able to recover Byrne’s body.
Blackfish shows the extent of Tilikum’s life and the ethics of keeping orcas in captivity, alleging that the stresses of confinement and forced performances contributed to his aggression.
Tilikum died on January 6, 2017, due to a bacterial infection.
