Alexis Martínez, a 29-year-old Spanish orca trainer at Loro Parque in the Canary Islands, was killed on December 24, 2009, during a rehearsal for a Christmas show. The orca responsible was Keto, a 6,600-pound male born in captivity and on loan from SeaWorld. Although the park initially claimed Martínez’s death was an accident, the autopsy revealed otherwise—his body had “ripped organs, a crushed chest, and bite marks.”

Martínez had expressed safety concerns in the weeks leading up to the attack, telling his partner, Estefanía Luis Rodriguez, that the whales were becoming “disobedient, disruptive, and aggressive.” During rehearsal, a trick with Keto failed, and shortly after, the orca attacked—slamming into Martínez, dragging him underwater, and killing him.

This wasn’t the park’s first incident. In 2007, trainer Claudia Vollhardt was pulled underwater by another orca, Tekoa. The park called it an “accident,” despite her hospitalization.

Martínez’s death came just two months before SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by another orca, Tilikum. Since then, public criticism of marine parks has grown, with documentaries like *Blackfish* highlighting the dangers of captivity. The Whale Sanctuary Project now aims to create ocean sanctuaries for captive orcas like Keto.