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.
Orlando authorities have reported that the veteran whale trainer “slipped and fell” into the tank but more than 50 eyewitnesses confirm that the incident was accident, the trainer was supposedly stroking the whale until it swam away and rushed back grabbing her its mouth and thrashing her violently underwater.
Brancheau, 40 and married, had over 14 years experience as a whale trainer and had previously spoken of the risks involved in 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 as a child.
30 year old Tilikum, nicknamed Tilly had reportedly behaved unusually and did not respond to directions in an earlier show. Trainers had previously been prohibited from swimming with the animal due to its unpredictable 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 death he has been linked to.
Tilly was named as one of three whales linked to the death of a trainer at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia In 1991 and in 1999 the body of Daniel Dukes was found in Tilly’s tank when policed had understood 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.
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