Whale kills trainer in Florida as horrified crowd watches

Witnesses who watched the incident while eating at the "Dine with Shamu" show, a poolside buffet where trainers accentuates their close connection with the animals, said a female trainer was petting a killer whale when it grabbed her and dragged her under the water.

It reappeared on the other side of the tank and leapt up holding the woman, spectators said.

Within minutes, an alarm sounded, and security workers escorted the spectators out. Some people were screaming, and children were crying.

SeaWorld said that 12,000-pound Tilikum pulled Dawn Brancheau, 40, into the orca's tank about 2p.m.

Brancheau, 40, was one of the park's most experienced trainers. It wasn't known if she died of drowning or thrashing.

Several witnesses said the animals had refused to obey commands during an earlier show.

Brancheau had worked at SeaWorld since February 1994. Ever since she visited the park with her family about 30 years ago, Brancheau's goal had been to train killer whales, said her mother, Marion Loverde of Indiana.

Tilikum, the largest killer whale at any SeaWorld park, has been involved in two previous deaths. He was one of three orcas blamed for killing a trainer who lost her balance and fell in the pool with them in 1991 at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia.

Tilikum was also involved in a 1999 death, when the body of a man who had sneaked by Orlando SeaWorld security was found draped over him. The man either jumped, fell or was pulled into the frigid water and died of hypothermia, though he was also bruised and scratched by Tilikum.

Brancheau's supervisor, Chuck Tompkins said Tilikum would not be put down because of the attacks.

SeaWorld Orlando and San Diego both suspended its killer whale shows, but will be open today.