] OSLO, Norway (AP) -- Keiko, the killer whale made famous ] by the "Free Willy" movies, has died in Norwegian coastal ] waters where he remained after millions of dollars and a ] decade of work failed to coax him back to the open sea, ] his caretakers said early Saturday. ] ] The whale, who was 27, died Friday afternoon after the ] sudden onset of pneumonia in the Taknes fjord. He was old ] for an orca in captivity, though wild orca live an ] average of 35 years. ] ] David Phillips, executive director of the San ] Francisco-based Free Willy-Keiko Foundation, said Keiko ] had been in good health but started showing signs of ] lethargy and loss of appetite on Thursday. ] ] "This is a long sad day for us," Phillips said. CNN.com - 'Free Willy' whale, Keiko, dies - Dec. 12, 2003 |