Alexis Martinez was a Spanish animal trainer who worked with orcas at Loro Parque’s Orca Ocean in the Canary Islands. He lost his life during a Christmas show rehearsal on December 24, 2009. His death happened just two months before Dawn Brancheau, a SeaWorld trainer, was killed by an orca. The park initially called it an accident, but an autopsy later confirmed he died from severe injuries caused by the attack.
Alexis Martinez and Keto Martinez had been training orcas for three years. His partner, Estefanía Luis Rodriguez, described him as kind and funny. She also shared that he had concerns about the whales’ behavior, noticing they were becoming harder to control. The park claimed he had no visible injuries, but the autopsy revealed serious damage, including a crushed chest and internal injuries.
Keto, a male orca weighing 6,600 pounds, was born in captivity in 1995 at SeaWorld. He had never lived in the ocean and had performed in several parks before arriving at Loro Parque. The tragic event happened in his third year at the park. Keto was one of four orcas loaned from SeaWorld to Loro Parque.
The Training Session As an experienced trainer, Martinez was heavily involved in preparing for the Christmas show. One of the tricks involved balancing on the whale as it rose from the water. During the practice, Martinez lost his balance and fell in. Following standard training procedures, he gave Keto no reward. Later, another trainer worked with Keto and rewarded him with fish.
Later, Martinez attempted another move where he rode Keto before sliding onto the stage. Keto dived too deep, and Martinez had to swim back alone. The whale appeared to block his way.
Martinez’s Final Moments Trainers instructed Martinez to swim to another pool while Keto was distracted. However, Keto turned toward him, slammed into him, and dragged him underwater. By the time trainers moved Keto and pulled Martinez from the water, he had suffered fatal injuries.
Another Incident at Loro Parque In 2007, German trainer Claudia Vollhardt was hospitalized after being pulled underwater by another orca, Tekoa. The park called it an accident, stating that the whale did not bite her.
The Future of Marine Parks Since the 2013 documentary Blackfish, marine parks have faced criticism. Captive orcas live shorter lives, are separated from their families, and are confined instead of roaming the ocean. The Whale Sanctuary Project is working to provide a better environment for these animals.