The horror moment killer whales attempted to drown a trainer at Seaworld has resurfaced in footage online.
As the shocked audience watched the two giant orcas bashed into into the man leaving him bloody and bruised.
Killer whale Kandu V was brought in as a baby in October 1977 and struggled with captivity.
But the park's most most horrifying moment was in on March 1987, while the whale was at the San Diego park and the episode was then captured on video.
Kandu and her 10-year-old female orca Kenau, Kandu was ridden by Jonathan Smith, 21, a trainer.
The whale suddenly grabs him with her teeth and takes him the bottom of the tank, before finally spitting him out.
The trainer tries to keep the crowd calm by waving to them before a second orca slams into him.
Both whales repeatedly smash into him and drag him to the bottom of the 32-foot-deep pool
He suffered cuts to his torso, a ruptured kidney, and a gash on his liver.
Smith escaped but later sued the park the following March.
He claimed "dangerous propensities of killer whales" were hidden from him and he had no formal training.
The Californian park faced legal action for fraud, battery, and emotional distress, but was settled out of court and a gag order imposed.
SeaWorld claims it has drastically changed practices and incidents involving Kandu 5 could now never take place.
A spokesperson previously said: "Trainers have not been in the water training or performing with killer whales at SeaWorld since 2010.
"There have been no incidents as described in this article since these changes were made more than a decade ago.
"Our hundreds of veterinarians and care specialists provide world-class medical care.
"None of the killer whales in our care live a solitary life and they participate in positive reinforcement sessions daily, engaging in a range of different activities to ensure they receive plenty of physical and mental exercise."
Butcher had been fired in December 1987 after another trainer was seriously injured.
Following the near-death encounter, Smith reportedly earned the nickname Jonah, after the biblical figure.
Speaking to the LA Times in March 1988, Smith said he thought Kandu would kill him.
"I remember it crystal clear," he said. "I think there came a point where I may have thought, 'This is it, I'm going to die'."
He said he was still struggling some six months after the attack.
"Not only have I suffered physically, I think to an extent I have suffered emotionally as well," he went on.
"I am still recovering... I'm not up to 100 per cent physical shape or near that yet."
