Incidents at United Parks & Resorts

Last updated

This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various United Parks & Resorts-owned amusement parks, water parks or theme parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.

Contents

The term incidents refers to major accidents, injuries, or deaths that occur at a SeaWorld Parks facility. While these incidents were required to be reported to regulatory authorities due to where they occurred, they usually fall into one of the following categories:

  1. Caused by negligence on the part of a guest. This can be refusal to follow specific ride safety instructions, or deliberate intent to violate park rules.
  2. The result of a guest's known, or unknown, health issues.
  3. Negligence on the part of the park, either by ride operator or maintenance.
  4. Act of God or a generic accident (e.g. slipping and falling) that is not a direct result of an action on anybody's part.

Adventure Island

Key West Rapids

Aquatica

Orlando, Florida location

Roa's Rapids

  • On October 4, 2010, a 68-year-old man from Manchester, England was found unresponsive on Roa's Rapids. He was taken to Dr. Phillips Hospital but was later pronounced dead on arrival. Preliminary findings found he died of natural causes. [2]
  • On July 15, 2017, a 58-year-old man from Savannah, Georgia was also found unresponsive on Roa's Rapids. He died the next day. It was later revealed he had a history of health problems. [3]

San Antonio, Texas location

Wahalla Wave

  • On July 1, 2018, a woman was found unresponsive after riding the Wahalla Wave water slide. She was given CPR by lifeguards before being taken to a nearby Christus Santa Rosa Hospital. [4]

Big Surf Shores

  • On August 1, 2019, lifeguards responded to an incident where a 33-year-old man went into cardiac arrest while in the park's wave pool. He was taken to Christus Santa Rosa Westover Hills hospital by the San Antonio EMS and later died. [5]

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Cheetah Hunt

Edge of Africa

Jungala

Gwazi

Kumba

Montu

Other incidents involving guests

Python

Rhino Rally

Scorpion

SheiKra

Skyride

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Apollo's Chariot

Big Bad Wolf

Busch Gardens Railway

Eagle One Monorail

Escape from Pompeii

Griffon

Loch Ness Monster

Pantheon

Roman Rapids

Tempesto

Discovery Cove

SeaWorld Ohio

Baywatch Ski Show

SeaWorld San Antonio

Parking lot

SeaWorld San Diego

Bayside Skyride

Guest altercations

SeaWorld Orlando

Orcas

Tilikum

  • On July 6, 1999, a 27-year-old man was found dead, nude in the pool draped over the back of the orca named Tilikum. [49] Although there was some media speculation of hypothermia, the autopsy report said that the cause of death was drowning and that there was trauma. [50] He had visited SeaWorld the previous day, stayed after the park closed, and evaded security to enter the orca tank. A spokesman for the sheriff's office said, "There was no obvious signs of trauma to the body. He wasn't chewed. He wasn't dismembered." [51] However, the coroner reported finding scrapes and bruises all over the body, some of which had occurred after the victim had died. [52] The coroner also discovered more significant injuries, such as puncture wounds on the victim's leg and his scrotum having been "ripped open". [52] Divers also found small pieces of the victim's body at the bottom of the pool. [52]
  • On February 24, 2010, 40-year-old trainer Dawn Brancheau, who had 15 years of experience at the park, died in another incident involving Tilikum. SeaWorld's head of animal training said that during a rubdown after the show, Tilikum pulled Brancheau into the water by her ponytail, and she drowned. [53] [54] Eyewitness trainers and audience members, however, stated that Tilikum dragged her into the water by her left forearm, near the end of the show. [55] The autopsy report said she died from drowning and traumatic injuries, including removal of her scalp. [56] [57] [58] This was the third time since being first put on public display that Tilikum had been involved in a human death. [59] [60] By February 27, SeaWorld Orlando whale shows resumed with trainers practicing increased caution and not joining the whales in the water. [61] SeaWorld announced they have invited experts from outside marine parks and aquariums to review SeaWorld's handling of killer whales and also Tilikum specifically. [62]
  • On August 23, 2010, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the park US$75,000 for three infractions, two of which were directly related to the incident above. One related citation was designated as "willful" and was "committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health". The other related citation was a "serious" violation relating to a missing safety rail at Shamu Stadium. At the time of the fine, SeaWorld called OSHA's findings "unfounded". [63] Later hearings revealed that SeaWorld had concealed an earlier incident when another whale, Ikaika, had bitten a trainer in 2006. [64] During a hearing where SeaWorld continued its challenge of OSHA's findings, former SeaWorld trainer Jeff Andrews‌being presented as an expert‌stated his opinion that the victim died as a result of a mistake she had made while near the water. He continued that he did not agree that Tilikum showed "aggressive behavior" during the incident. [65] [66] On May 31, 2012, an OSHA administrative law judge cited SeaWorld for two violations in the death of the trainer and fined the company a total of $12,000. The final decision was issued on June 11, 2012. [67]

Other Incidents

Expedition Odyssey

On May 1, 2025, during a preview before the official opening of the ride Expedition Odyssey, the letter O for the word Odyssey in the rides entrance sign fell off and hit a female guest. The rest of entrance sign was later removed. [68]

Sesame Place (Pennsylvania)

Water Country USA

Surfer's Bay

See also

References

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