Killer Whale Attacks SeaWorld Trainer

Nov. 30, 2006 — -- A SeaWorld trainer is in good condition after a killer whale attacked him Wednesday and pulled him underwater twice.

The extent of Ken Peters' injuries is not known, but SeaWorld officials reported he was listed in good condition.

The 5,000-pound whale, Kasatka, was attempting to perform a routine trick when she grabbed Peters by the foot and dragged him in circles. An onlooking crowd of tourists and children was horrified.

After some time, the giant mammal and her trainer surfaced. After the attack, the whale circled her tank as Peters was treated by paramedics and whisked away on a stretcher.

"We realized she had the trainer by the foot, and she took him under and submerged for a minute," one onlooker said.

This is not the first time that Kasatka has attacked her trainer. During a 1999 show, she grabbed Peters by the leg and attempted to toss him from the pool.

Since the 1970s, killer whales have attacked nearly two dozen people worldwide. In 2004 at San Antonio's SeaWorld, a whale slammed his trainer repeatedly.

San Diego officials will review Kasatka's behavior to determine why she acted out.