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Whale kills trainer during show Whale kills trainer during show
(about 1 hour later)
A killer whale has killed a 40-year-old female trainer at the SeaWorld marine park in Orlando, company president Dan Brown has said. A killer whale has killed a 40-year-old female trainer at the SeaWorld marine park in Orlando, Florida.
Eyewitnesses said the whale came up from the water and grabbed her by the waist, but officials dispute that account, suggesting she fell in. Officials described the incident as an accident, saying the woman fell in the water, although eyewitnesses said the whale jumped up and grabbed her waist.
Guests were evacuated while fire crews tried to rescue the woman, but they were unable to revive her. Guests were evacuated while fire crews tried to rescue the woman, but they were unable to revive her, company president Dan Brown confirmed.
Whale trainers at SeaWorld parks were also attacked in 2006 and 2004.Whale trainers at SeaWorld parks were also attacked in 2006 and 2004.
Conflicting accounts
Wednesday's incident took place at around 1400 local time (1900 GMT) inside Shamu Stadium.Wednesday's incident took place at around 1400 local time (1900 GMT) inside Shamu Stadium.
SeaWorld president Dan Brown: "One of our most experience trainers drowned in an incident with one of our killer whales." Mr Brown described the woman as highly experienced
"One of our most experienced animal trainers drowned in the incident," Mr Brown said in a brief statement to the media. He said an investigation was under way."One of our most experienced animal trainers drowned in the incident," Mr Brown said in a brief statement to the media. He said an investigation was under way.
Jim Solomons, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Office, said the trainer "apparently slipped or fell" into the tank, but that it was too early to tell if she was attacked by the whale.
"There is no sense of foul play. Right now this appears to be an accident," said Mr Solomons.
The official account differed from that of eyewitnesses.
Park guest Victoria Biniak told a local TV channel that the trainer had just finished explaining to the audience what they were about to see.Park guest Victoria Biniak told a local TV channel that the trainer had just finished explaining to the audience what they were about to see.
At that point, she said, the whale "took off really fast, and then he came back around to the glass, jumped up, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started shaking her violently. The last thing we saw was her shoe floating."At that point, she said, the whale "took off really fast, and then he came back around to the glass, jumped up, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started shaking her violently. The last thing we saw was her shoe floating."
However, officials say the trainer apparently fell into the tank whilst addressing an audience of guests, and was killed accidentally by the killer whale. Another male audience member gave CNN a similar version of events.
In November 2006 trainer Kenneth Peters was bitten and held underwater by a 7,000lb (3,000kg) female killer whale during a show at SeaWorld's San Diego park. He escaped with a broken foot. Previous attacks
The killer whale, known as Tilly, was reportedly involved in several incidents in the past, the BBC's Andy Gallacher reports from Florida.
One involved the death of another trainer in 1991 while Tilly was performing in British Columbia, Canada.
After the whale was sold to SeaWorld Orlando it was involved in a second incident when authorities discovered the body of a naked man lying across his back in 1999.
Officials later concluded the man, who had either snuck into SeaWorld after hours or hidden in the park until it closed, most likely drowned after suffering instant hypothermia.
There have been incidents involving other whales at SeaWorld.
In November 2006, trainer Kenneth Peters was bitten and held underwater by a 7,000lb (3,000kg) female killer whale during a show at SeaWorld's San Diego park. He escaped with a broken foot.
In 2004 another whale at the company's San Antonio park attempted to bite a trainer, but he too escaped.In 2004 another whale at the company's San Antonio park attempted to bite a trainer, but he too escaped.