Sister of SeaWorld trainer killed by whale says she wouldn’t want anything done to animal

Sister: Killed trainer wouldn’t want whale harmed

ORLANDO, Fla. — The sister of a SeaWorld trainer killed by a whale says the woman loved the whales like children and wouldn’t want anything to happen to the one that pulled her into the water.

Trainer Dawn Brancheau was rubbing the whale named Tilikum after a noontime show Wednesday when the whale grabbed her and pulled her in, killing her. The park said it hasn’t decided yet what to do with the whale.

But Brancheau’s sister Diane Gross, of Indiana, says the trainer “would not want anything done to that whale.”

Gross tells the Associated Press that news of her sister’s death “hasn’t sunk in yet.”

A 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.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A SeaWorld official is confirming that a whale that killed a trainer at the park pulled the woman into the water.

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.

The sheriff’s office earlier said that Brancheau had slipped or fallen 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.