A 40-year-old trainer was killed Wednesday by a killer whale at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, officials said.

The trainer, Dawn Brancheau, was in the whale holding area about 2 p.m. when she somehow ended up the tank and was fatally injured by the whale, officials said. Accounts on how Brancheau ended up into the tank varied.

A witness told CNN affiliate WKMG-TV that the whale approached the glass side of the 35-foot-deep tank at Shamu Stadium, jumped up and grabbed the trainer by the waist, shaking her so violently that her shoe came off. A SeaWorld employee, who asked not to be identified, also described the incident the same way.

But Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesman said Brancheau slipped into the tank.

“This appears to be an accident,” said Jim Solomons.

The whale’s name is Tillikum, the SeaWorld employee said. The same whale has been linked previously to two other deaths.

“One of our most experience animal trainers drowned” in the accident, said Dan Brown, vice president and general manager of SeaWorld Orlando.

 

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