A 23-year-old marine trainer, Jessica Radcliffe’s last video as she was attacked by an orca during a live performance has been going viral. The video gained a lot of traction on TikTok (banned in India) and Facebook. In the clip, a 23-year-old was attacked by a killer whale as they were performing at Pacific Blue Marine Park.
Who is 23-year-old marine trainer Jessica Radcliffe?
According to reports, it is stated that Radcliffe died ten minutes after the staff rescued her from the brutal attack of the orca. In the sensitive footage, one can see a woman underwater being dragged by a killer whale. The caption stated that the woman died shortly after being rescued.
We can see that the marine trainer was on top of the orca when it breached the water. It was a beautiful dive, and the audience in the park clapped for the performance. However, within seconds, the orca came out attacking Jessica. According to the video, Jessica was just 23 years old when she lost her life to the orca attack.
Jessica Radcliffe’s orca attack is fake! Here’s what we know
A video that may look all realistic is AI-generated. Yes, a closer look at the video shows that the attack never happened. Neither Jessica Radcliffe nor Pacific Blue Marine Park exists in the world. Online records show that there is no woman with the name Jessica Radcliffe online. The video also has signs of being fake, with AI-generated voices. According to facts, there are no credible news reports on the same. On top of it, there are no obituaries, no workplace safety investigations or official statements from any marine park about such an incident.
Also, if any such incident had happened, in such real cases of fatal animal attacks, a report from local authorities is shared. Since it involves large marine mammals like orcas, there should have been immediate reports from marine facilities and news outlets. On top of it, the name ‘Pacific Blue Marine Park’ does not match any known marine park across the world.
Experts who are known to check the authenticity of video highlighted that the voices in the clip are computer-generated, and the audio could have been made using AI voice tools. It is reported that AI-generated voices often look unnatural with strange pauses and flat emotions. Another fact that confirms that the video is fake is the movements which seem to have been altered.
The real orca attacks
While this orca attack was completely fake, there have been incidents in which trainers were brutally killed by orcas. For those who don’t know, the orca, famously known as the killer whale, is a toothed whale and a member of the oceanic dolphin family. It was in 1991 when a male orca named Tilikum killed a female trainer. The killer whale was known for killing three people.
At Sealand of the Pacific, two eyewitnesses saw Tilikum, the orca, attacking a 21-year-old Keltie Byrne who accidentally slipped and fell into the tank. The male orca dragged Keltie repeatedly under the water, while the other two female orcas prevented the staff from helping the trainer. She died due to drowning, forced submersion by an orca.
Later, in 1999, another trainer, Daniel Dukes was found dead on the back of Tilikum. It was suspected that Daniel could have jumped in his tanks. There were also claims that the male orca could have dragged him in a similar way he did with Keltie. Despite video cameras and night trainers whose sole responsibility was to monitor the animals, no one was able to understand how Daniel died.
Despite two deaths, Tilikum’s trainers were working with him and performing shows. They were giving him cues from the side of the tank without barriers. And in 2010, Tilkum, the killer whale, killed the senior trainer, Dawn Brancheau, during a SeaWorld show in Orlando. The 11-ton orca dragged her into the pool and mutilated her in a 45-minute attack. The body was unable to be recovered even after hours of its death. The horrifying attack witnessed by many.
Not only this, in 2009, Alexis Martinez, a Spanish trainer, was also brutally killed by an orca named Keto. The orca bumped into him during a rehearsal for the show, illustrating why it’s not humanly right to capture these large mammals, which could have severe consequences.
Orcas, the killer whales are highly intelligent and can be dangerous to humans
Orcas, which are from the family of dolphins, look adorable and breach into the water just like them. But these white-tooth whales know how to get their fodder. They are known to be highly intelligent and social predators that thrive in oceans around the world. But they are considered dangerous to humans, as most fatalities have been caused by captive orcas.
What do you think about Jessica Radcliffe’s fake orca attack?
Next Read: Amid Fake Clip Of An Orca Killing Jessica Radcliffe, Know About Orca, Tilikum, Who Killed 3 People