Killer Whale Involved in Two Other Deaths

The whale that killed a veteran trainer at Sea World yesterday had been involved in previous fatal attacks:

A killer whale attacked and killed a trainer in front of a horrified audience at a SeaWorld show Wednesday, with witnesses saying the animal involved in two previous deaths dragged the trainer under and thrashed her around violently.

Distraught audience members were hustled out of the stadium, and the park was immediately closed.

Veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau, 40, was one of the park's most experienced. It wasn't clear if she drowned or died from the thrashing.

SeaWorld spokesman Fred Jacobs confirmed the whale was Tilikum, one of three orcas blamed for killing a trainer who lost her balance and fell in the pool with them in 1991 at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia.

Tilikum was also involved in a 1999 death, when the body of a man who had sneaked by Orlando SeaWorld security was found draped over him. The man either jumped, fell or was pulled into the frigid water and died of hypothermia, though he was also bruised and scratched by Tilikum.

According to one news report I heard this whale was kept segregated from the other whales and trainers were not allowed in the water with him due to his violent nature. The trainer in the attack yesterday was reportedly snatched from her poolside platform by the angry whale.

If it was a dog they'd put him down. I'm not sure what they'll do with a killer whale.

UPDATE: Autopsy reveals that trainer died of drowning and multiple traumatic injuries. According to the report, which disputes what Sea World said, the trainer did not fall in but was grabbed by her ponytail.