seaworld: Whale Kills Trainer at Sea World

Whale Kills Trainer at Sea World

SeaWorld Trainer Killed By Whale A Sea World killer whale snatched a trainer from a poolside platform today and thrashed the trainer around underwater, killing her in front of a horrified audience. It marked the third time the animal had been involved in a human death. Distraught audience members were hustled out of the stadium immediately, and part of the park was closed. Trainer Dawn Brancheau, 40, was rubbing Tilikum after a noontime show when the 12000-pound whale grabbed her and pulled her in, said Chuck Tompkins, head of animal training at all SeaWorld parks. Park officials say the veteran trainer drowned. Audience member Eldon Skaggs said Brancheau's interaction with the whale appeared leisurely and informal at first. But then the whale "pulled her under and started swimming around with her," he told The Associated Press. Skaggs, 72, said an alarm sounded and staff rushed the audience out of the stadium as workers scrambled around with nets. Skaggs said he heard that during an earlier show the whale was not responding to directions. Others who attended the earlier show said the whale was behaving like an ornery child. Another audience member, Victoria Biniak, told WKMG-TV the whale "took off really fast in the tank, and then he came back, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started thrashing around, and one of her shoes flew off." Two other witnesses told the Orlando Sentinel that the whale grabbed the woman by the upper arm and tossed her ...