Tilikum, a 5 tonne orca has killed it’s trainer by dragging her into the pool and thrashing her underwater. The event occurred at SeaWorld Orlando as the trainer, Dawn Brancheau was chatting with visitors after a show. Onlookers said the whale “thrashed her all around” and pulled her under the water.
Police state that Brancheau “slipped and fell” into the tank but over 50 witnesses confirm that the event was no accident, the trainer was reportedly stroking the whale before it swam away and darted back grabbing the trainer out of the air in its mouth before shaking her violently underwater.
Brancheau, a 40 year old who was married with no children, was an experienced whale trainer and had previously commented on the dangers involved with her job, “You can’t put yourself in the water unless you trust them and they trust you.” After a visit to SeaWorld at the age of nine, Brancheau had dreamt of working as a whale trainer.
30 year old Tilikum, whose name means ‘fierce’ in the native Indian Chinook language, had reportedly acted abnormally and did not react to directions in an earlier show. Trainers had previously been forbidden from swimming with the animal because of its variable 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 fatality he has been linked to.
In 1991 Tilly was blamed as one of three whales behind the death of a trainer at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia and in 1999 the body of Daniel Dukes was found in Tilly’s tank after policed had determined the man sneaked into the compound at night.
General Manager of SeaWorld, Dan Brown, had to hold back tears while he stated that the company’s safety procedures will be an enquiry into the safety procedures while the park remains closed and shows at their other shows are cancelled.
Have you been injured at work? Then visit EAD Solicitor’s for advice on your right to claim compensation
Tags: accidents, claim, compensation, death, health, job, news, Personal injury, work