Did Jessica Radcliffe die in a killer whale attack? Viral AI generated video of the alleged orca incident, debunked

A disturbing video has been making the rounds on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook. It claims that a marine trainer named Jessica Radcliffe was attacked and killed by an orca during a live performance. The video, which included subtitles and sounds of shouting from the audience, instantly raised worry among viewers worldwide. Many suspected Radcliffe was a SeaWorld trainer.

Several fact-checking websites, including the International Business, have confirmed that the video is fabricated. Investigators discovered no public records, news reports, or marine park employment listings for the name Jessica Radcliffe.

Analysts discovered that the video was AI-generated, combining old orca performance clips with artificial crowd noise and digitally created features to make the clip look realistic. The fake video clip going viral, along with the public’s awareness of previous orca-related catastrophes, made it more convincing.

So, the alleged orca attack on trainer Jessica Radcliffe never happened, as Jessica Radcliffe is not a real person, and the attack never occurred.

What made the killer whale's attack on Jessica Radcliffe believable?

The fake video clip gained popularity because there have been multiple confirmed incidents of orcas hurting or killing their trainers in captivity. These tragedies have been extensively chronicled and remembered in documentaries like Blackfish. Some well-known orca attacks that happened are listed below:

• Tilikum - Possibly the most notorious captive orca, Tilikum was involved in three killings. At Sealand of the Pacific in 1991, 20-year-old trainer Keltie Byrne fell into a pool and was dragged underwater by Tilikum and two other whales, killing her. Later, Tilikum was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando, where in 1999 a trespasser was discovered dead in Tilikum’s pool. The most notable incident occurred in 2010, when trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed during a performance.
• Keto - On Christmas Eve 2009, 29-year-old trainer Alexis Martínez was killed at Loro Parque, Tenerife, after Keto slammed him in the chest and pulled him underwater, causing fatal internal injuries.
• Other incidents - In 2002, trainer Tamarie Tollison sustained a compound forearm fracture after being dragged into the water by two orcas, Orkid and Splash, at SeaWorld San Diego. In 2004, Kyuquot, an orca, trapped trainer Steve Aibel beneath the water for many minutes at SeaWorld San Antonio. In 2006, Orkid dragged trainer Brian Rokeach down, and Kasatka, another orca, held Kenneth Peters down in separate incidents. In 2008, at Marineland Antibes in France, an orca called Freya dragged a trainer down and flung them around before releasing them.

These attacks are just a few incidents that have occurred, though it is rare for orcas to attack humans. However, in captivity, the stress of confinement, forced performances, and changing social structures have resulted in hostile behavior.

Another reason the fake video clip of the alleged orca attack on trainer Jessica Radcliffe seemed believable was because of the illusory truth effect. This is a phenomenon where exposure to misinformation, even when corrected, can promote mistaken ideas.

Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.

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