Killer whale kills trainer at Seaworld

A killer whale involved in two previous deaths, including one in Victoria, struck again Wednesday.

This time the 5,500-kilogram bull orca named Tillikum killed a trainer at Florida’s Seaworld.

There were conflicting reports about whether Tillikum dragged the female trainer into the Shamu Stadium tank or whether the trainer slipped and fell into the water.

The incident happened around 2 p.m., local WFTV news station reported.

"The trainer was explaining different things about the whale . . . and then the trainer that was down there walked away from the window," witness Victoria Biniak told TV station WKMG.

"Telly (the whale’s nickname) took off really fast in the tank and he came back, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started thrashing (her) around."

Biniak added that the attack was violent enough for the trainer’s shoe to fly off.

"One of our most experienced animal trainers drowned in an incident with one of our killer whales this afternoon," said Dan Brown, general manager at the Orlando entertainment park.

"This is an extraordinarily difficult time for the SeaWorld parks," he added.

Jim Solomons, from the Orange County Sheriff’s office, denied reports that the 40-year-old trainer, who was not named, was dragged into the tank by Tillikum.

"She apparently slipped or fell . . . and was fatally injured by one of the whales," he said. "This appears to be an accidental death, it’s a tragic death."

In 1999, a 27-year-old park visitor was found dead in Tillikum’s tank. It is believed the man may have snuck into the whale’s pool after-hours and later drowned.

When staff arrived the next morning they found the nude body of Daniel Dukes draped over Tillikum’s back. The man’s swimming suit was found in the tank.

Tillikum, now almost 30 years old, was moved to SeaWorld from Sealand of the Pacific near Victoria in 1992, six months after being involved in the death of 20-year-old trainer Keltie Byrne.

The trainer at the Victoria-area tourist attraction drowned after she fell into the water and was dragged below the surface by Tillikum and two female whales, Haida and her calf Nootka.

In front of a dozen horrified spectators the three whales batted Byrne around as if she was a toy and would not let her out of the water.

After Byrne drowned it took about another two hours for staff to retrieve the body, which was being protected by the whales.

After Wednesday’s attack, about half of Seaworld, known for its killer whale, seal and dolphin displays, was closed to the public, WFTV reported.

Tillikum was captured near Iceland in 1983. He has fathered 17 calves in captivity, 10 of which are still alive.

The death is reigniting debate over keeping killer whales in captivity.

Peter Hamilton, founding director of Lifeforce, urged Sealand not to send Tillikum to Sea World in 1992.

"I urged them to release all three," he said in an e-mail immediately after hearing about the death.

"I said that he would attack again."