Tragedy at SeaWorld
Feb-24-2010

A SeaWorld Orlando animal trainer was killed during an accident at SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium, park and law enforcement officials said.

Dawn Brancheau, a 40-year-old with extensive training experience, drowned following a popular Dine with Shamu show as at least two dozen tourists looked on from above a whale tank and from an underwater viewing area.

SeaWorld executive Chuck Tompkins confirmed what witnesses saw, that Brancheau was pulled into the water by Tilikum, a 12,000-pound male killer whale.

Brancheau was finishing up a session with Tilikum, the largest whale in SeaWorld's collection and its only mature male, following the Dine with Shamu show.

"We're in the process of investigating all of the people and the animals," Tompkins said.

Witnesses told the Orlando Sentinel that one of the park's whales grabbed the trainer by the upper arm, disappeared underwater and swam to the other side of the tank. Tilikum thrashed her around in the water as he swam rapidly around in the whale pool.

Brazilian tourist Joao Lucio DeCosta Sobrinho, 28, and girlfriend Talita Oliveira, 20, were at an underwater viewing area when they suddenly saw a whale with Brancheau in its mouth.

The couple said they watched the whale show at the park two days earlier and came back to take pictures. But this afternoon the whales appeared agitated before the incident occurred.

"It was terrible. It's very difficult to see the image," Sobrinho said.

Brancheau was bleeding from the face or mouth, they said, and the whale turned her over and over as it swam.

Within minutes, an alarm in the viewing area sounded and security personnel arrived to escort tourists out.

"No panic, no panic" is what they said, Oliveira said in broken English. "We know panic because we see."

About 20 visitors also were escorted out of the dining area, several diners told the Sentinel.

Dine with Shamu is held twice a day, according to the park. The early show is at 12:30 p.m. The second show is held at 6:30 p.m.

"It is with great sadness that I report that one of our most experienced animal trainers drowned in an incident with one of our killer whales this afternoon," SeaWorld President Dan Brown said in a brief statement to reporters. "We've initiated an investigation to determine, to the extent possible, what occurred."

Brancheau worked at the park since February 1994. An Osceola County Sheriff's Deputy was parked outside her home in St. Cloud and turned away any visitors early this evening.

Brown said no SeaWorld park had ever before experienced a similar incident and pledged a thorough review of all of the park's standard operating procedures.

"This is an extraordinarily difficult time for the SeaWorld parks and our team members. Nothing is more important than the safety of our employees, guests and the animals entrusted to our care," Brown said, his voice breaking slightly. "We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the trainer and will do everything possible to assist them in this difficult time."

Whale involved in other incidents

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