Jack Hanna talks about SeaWorld tragedy

(WOFL FOX 35) - FOX 35 talked to Animal Expert Jack Hanna about the tragedy that occurred at SeaWorld.

A SeaWorld killer whale snatched a trainer from a poolside platform Wednesday in its jaws and thrashed the woman around underwater, killing her in front of a horrified audience. It marked the third time the animal had been involved in a human death. Orange County Fire rescue crews are investigating the incident which occured at SeaWorld Orlando's Shamu Stadium .

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The Orange County Sheriff's Office has identified the trainer as Dawn Brancheau, 40. Paramedics arrived at the theme park resort where they found Brancheau, who could not be revived. 

"It is with great sadness that I report that one of our most experienced animal trainers drowned in an incident with one of our killer whales this afternoon," said SeaWorld Orlando President Dan Brown. "We have initiated an investigation to determine, to the extent possible, what occurred. There are no other details to share at this point, but we will make our findings known in due course."

Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Solomons said during a news conference held on Wednesday afternoon that the trainer slipped and that the incident appeared to be an accident, but a SeaWorld official now confirms that the whale pulled the woman into the water.

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Chuck Tompkins, head of animal training at all SeaWorld parks, said Trainer Dawn Brancheau was rubbing the whale named Tilikum after a noontime show Wednesday when the whale grabbed her and pulled her in. Tompkins said Brancheau had more experience with Tilikum than most of the park's other 28 trainers, only about a dozen of whom worked with him.  The SeaWorld official said that because of Tilikum's size and involvement in two previous deaths, trainers were not supposed to get into the water with him.

A retired couple from Michigan told The Associated Press that the killing happened as a noontime show was winding down, with some in the audience staying to watch the animals and trainers.

Eldon Skaggs, 72, said Brancheau was on a platform with the whale and was massaging it. He said the interaction appeared leisurely and informal.  Then, Skaggs said, the whale "pulled her under and started swimming around with her."  Skaggs said an alarm sounded and staff rushed the audience out of the stadium as workers scrambled around with nets. Skaggs said he heard that during an earlier show the whale was not responding to directions. Others who attended the earlier show said the whale was behaving like an ornery child.  The couple left and didn't find out until later that the trainer had died. "We were just a little bit stunned," said Skaggs' wife, Sue  Nichols, 67.

Shamu Stadium is the seven-million gallon home to the park's killer whale performers. The park's current production is Believe, which is joined by Shamu Rocks during busier seasons.

Whale involved in two other deaths

The fatal attack is not the first time that a killer whale at a SeaWorld park has turned on a trainer. In Nov. 2006, trainer Kenneth Peters, 39, was bitten and held underwater several times by a 7,000-pound killer whale during a show at SeaWorld's San Diego park. He escaped with a broken foot.   The 17-foot-long orca that attacked him was the dominant female of SeaWorld San Diego's seven killer whales. She had attacked Peters on two prior occasions, in 1993 and 1999.

In 2004, another whale at the company's San Antonio park tried to hit one of the trainers and attempted to bite him. He also escaped.

A SeaWorld spokesman says the killer whale that attacked and killed a trainer in Orlando is the same one involved in two other deaths, including a Canada trainer's. SeaWorld spokesman Fred Jacobs says the whale that killed Brancheau is Tilikum.

In 1999, the body of a 27-year-old South Carolina man was found floating on the back of Tilikum.  At the time, an Orange County Sheriff's spokesman said the man was the apparent victim of a whale's "horseplay." 

Daniel Dukes eluded security and managed to stay in the park after operating hours. Authorities said Dukes either jumped, fell or was pulled into the whale's tank. There were no witnesses and no surveillance cameras were present.  A medical examiner concluded that Dukes suffered hypothermia and drowned. A lawsuit filed against SeaWorld by the parents of Dukes stated that he also had punctured wounds on his leg and foot.

In 1991, Tilikum was involved in the drowning of a trainer at a Sea Land Marine Park Victoria, British Columbia. According to witness accounts, Keltie Byrne fell into the whale tank and was dragged underwater as park visitors watched. SeaWorld Orlando purchased Tilikum later