Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126003987 - Sea World San Diego

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

Seventeen employees were performing a dolphin capture exercise in a dolphin stadium at a marine amusement park. They were working in the holding pool in the stadium. This was the fourth time this particular operation had been done at the pool, each time with a different pair of dolphins. The two dolphins to be captured were being guided by a nylon net toward a shallow area of the pool (called a "slide out") for holding and transport. One of the employees (employee #1) was free diving in the pool on the opposite side of the net from the dolphins. One of the dolphins had already been captured, but the second young dolphin was not familiar with the net and was swimming in the deeper part of the pool as the net was being brought around. Other employees both in and out of the water were responsible for pulling the net toward the slide out and keeping the net taut so that the dolphin could not escape. The dolphin swam into the net toward employee #1 near the northeast corner of the pool, about a meter from the slide out, in about 3.7 meters of water. Employee #1 grabbed the dolphin through the net to subdue the animal and bring it to the surface. The dolphin was calm for a moment and then began to spin, entangling both the dolphin and the employee in the net and pulling them deeper. The employee sustained three fractures and torn ligaments in her right arm, which was entangled in the net. Other employees brought her to the surface while she was still conscious. The injured employee was hospitalized.

Keywords: AMUSE PARK/CARNIVAL, FRACTURE, ANIMAL HANDLER, ARM, ENTANGLED, NET