SeaWorld’s theme parks in San Diego, Orlando and San Antonio are gradually trying to get their trainers back in the water with the captive orcas just a year after an incident with a 6-ton killer whaled named Tilikum.

During a noontime performance held last year, Tilikum unexpectedly dragged the ponytail of his trainer and pulled her from a poolside platform and into the water. Dawn Brancheu, the trainer, eventually died from drowning and received some traumatic injuries.

The most recent incident with Tilikum raised intense discussions about trainer’s safety issues, including how captivity affects the behavior of an orca.

SeaWorld Park’s curator of zoological operations, Chuck Tompkins said there is no timetable yet when trainers will get back to working in the water. He said it might not even happen at all. But, the newest whale show that will debut in the theme parks this April is being planned to include the interaction and play in the water.

The adventure park has already invested in new safety equipment, which cost several millions of dollars. This includes a rising pool to rapidly lift whales and people out of the water, handy oxygen bottles for the trainers, as well as underwater vehicles to divert an animal’s attention during emergencies.

Since the death of Brancheau on Feb. 24, 2010, whale exhibitions have continued. However, the whale trainers have stayed on the pool deck. From time to time, they just stroke an orca when it moves onto the platform.

Tompkins said the orcas will have to get used to mingling with humans in the water again. They are being retrained to ignore loud distractions by the trainers and to swim on the side of the pools.

The plans to bring trainers back in the water will go forward even with federal Occupational Safety and Health administration’s findings that accuse the amusement park of carelessly putting trainers in danger.