Whale Trainer Killed In Killer Whale Attack At SeaWorld Orlando

Written By: Tom Doerr on March 4, 2010 No Comment

A five tonne orca named Tilikum has killed his keeper by pulling her into the pool and shaking her underwater. The episode happened at SeaWorld Orlando as the keeper, Dawn Brancheau was talking to visitors after a show. Witnesses reported that the killer whale “thrashed her all around” and held her under the water.

Police state that Brancheau “slipped and fell” into the tank but over 50 witnesses confirm that the event was no accident, the trainer was reportedly stroking the whale before it swam away and darted back grabbing the trainer out of the air in its mouth before shaking her violently underwater.

40 year old Brancheau who was married with no children, had many years experience as a whale trainer and had once spoken of the dangers surrounding her job, “You can’t put yourself in the water unless you trust them and they trust you.” Brancheau had been inspired to works has a whale trainer after a visit to SeaWorld at the age of 9.

30 year old Tilikum, whose name means ‘fierce’ in the native Indian Chinook language, had reportedly acted abnormally and did not react to directions in an earlier show. Trainers had previously been forbidden from swimming with the animal because of its variable temper. Questions are being raised as to whether the 5 tonne killer whale should be allowed to continue working near humans as it is the third fatality he has been linked to.

In 1991 Tilly was blamed as one of three whales behind the death of a trainer at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia and in 1999 the body of Daniel Dukes was found in Tilly’s tank after policed had determined the man sneaked into the compound at night.

SeaWorld General Manager, Dan Brown stated that the company’s safety procedures will be under review while the park remains closed shows at their other shows are suspended.

Want to find out about personal injuryat work? Then visit EAD Solicitor’s to see if you have a right to claim compensation.