ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 25 (UPI) -- SeaWorld officials canceled shows featuring killer whales following the death of a long-time animal trainer, who was grabbed by one of the orcas.
Authorities said Dawn Brancheau, a 40-year-old trainer who had been at SeaWorld for 16 years, drowned Wednesday when pulled underwater by Tilikum, the largest orca at the park.
They also said Tilikum, which had been at the Orlando SeaWorld since 1992, had been involved in two previous deaths. Park officials said they were investigating Wednesday's incident but it wasn't likely to end with Tilikum being destroyed.
Witnesses told the Orlando Sentinel, the whale grabbed Brancheau, who had been petting the orca, by an arm and dragged her underwater.
The park was to open Thursday, although regular shows featuring orcas were canceled.
Brancheau's mother told the Sentinel it had been her daughter's dream to work with whales since a family trip to SeaWorld about 30 years ago.
