Killer whales attack each other at SeaWorld and 'blood soaks water' as horrified guests watch

Harrowing footage shows two killer whales attacking each other in front of horrified visitors at SeaWorld.

In the clip, an orca can be seen beached on the side of the tank as the whales attacked one another.

Warning: This video contains graphic images which some readers may find distressing.

Onlookers watched in disbelief and horror as the grisly scene unfolded in front of them.

Children were among those in the audience, and in the video one child can be heard asking their parent: "How is the orca still alive?"

The child added: "I thought they help each other, not fight each other."

One eyewitness to the horrifying episode claimed that one orca in the tank had been ganged up on by the others.

Sharing their account of the awful incident, they said: "We all immediately saw blood soaking the water, which triggered my nine-year-old daughter to start crying.

"We would see bite marks and fresh wounds all over the side of the whale."

The eyewitness added: "Every couple seconds, two [or] more orcas would jump out of the water to [continue] attacking the hurt orca."

One of the orcas was seen beached on the side. (PETA)

Animal rights organization PETA said it filed a complaint against SeaWorld with the US Department of Agriculture.

The footage emerged only a few days after an orca was confirmed to have died at the park after contracting an infection.

Nakai died on August 4, 2022, and had reportedly lived in a tank with two other whales who would bully him.

It's not clear whether Nakai is the orca in the video.

PETA's Executive Vice President, Tracy Reiman, said: "In two days, one orca has died and another has been attacked by other frustrated, closely confined orcas, resulting in a serious injury.

"And young children were witnesses to the carnage."

The whales can often be aggressive in captivity. (PETA)

PETA also condemned the incident in a press release, saying: "Marine parks condemn orcas to miserable conditions - small, barren tanks that don’t allow them to swim at high speeds or dive great depths as they would in their natural habitats - causing them extreme stress and frustration.

"On top of that, it’s not uncommon for incompatible animals to be housed together in these tiny tanks, where they have nowhere to escape conflicts with other frustrated or aggressive animals."

SeaWorld has since said Nakai died after she came 'into contact with a portion of the pool'.

The keeping of orcas in captivity has long been controversial, with the documentary Blackfish following Tilikum, a captive orca who was involved in the deaths of three people.

No fatal attacks on humans by wild orcas have been confirmed.

UNILAD has contacted SeaWorld for a comment.