ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.,None — February 24 marks one year since a killer whale killed a SeaWorld trainer. Thursday, SeaWorld announced trainers are getting back in the water with the animals.
SeaWorld officials insist they have put new safety procedures in place, but this is strictly for behind the scenes work with the whales, not for public shows.
For the last 12 months, SeaWorld's killer whales swam only with each other, but that's about to change.
"We've always said, from the very beginning, we plan on getting back in with our animals. But we don't really have a set date or time," SeaWorld Curator Chuck Tompkins said.
But, Tompkins says it could happen soon.
The announcement comes one year after veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau was drowned by Tilikum, the marine park's largest orca.
"Do you consider this dangerous?" WFTV reporter Berndt Petersen asked Tompkins.
"Not if you're trained appropriately," he replied.
Tompkins says it will begin with limited interactions between whales and trainers in small pools equipped with special floors that can be lifted out of the water. Some park visitors believe it's time.
"Accidents happen. People are killed in car races. They don't stop car racing," park visitor George Rivas told WFTV.
George and Corinne Rivas also believe the federal investigation into last year's accident should not stop SeaWorld from putting whales and trainers back in the same tank.
"I think if the marine group is taking care of it, then the government should stay out of it," Corrine said.
SeaWorld's legal battle with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration goes back to court in April.
"We disagree with what they think and what they think they will find. And we'll continue to work toward making sure we show them and everyone else that our process of training our whales, our whale program, is extremely safe," Tompkins said.
While limited training could begin in a few months, the company can't say when or even if trainers will go back in the water with the whales in public shows.
Previous Stories: February 3, 2011: SeaWorld Trainers To Stay Out Of Water February 3, 2011: SeaWorld's New Killer Whale Show "One Ocean" November 16, 2010: SeaWorld To Debut New Killer Whale Show