Whale kills SeaWorld trainer in Florida

A KILLER whale snatched a SeaWorld trainer from a poolside platform and killed her in front of horrified witnesses.

It was the third time killer whale Tilikum had been involved in a human death.

Audience members were immediately hustled out of the SeaWorld stadium in Orlando, Florida, and the park was closed.

Trainer Dawn Brancheau, 40, was one of the park’s most experienced.

Her sister said Ms Brancheau wouldn’t want anything done to the whale as she loved the animals like children.

Ms Brancheau was rubbing Tilikum after a show when the 12,000-pound whale grabbed her and pulled her in, said Chuck Tompkins, head of animal training at all SeaWorld parks. It was unclear if she drowned or died from the thrashing.

Tilikum was involved in deaths in 1991 and 1999.