Orlando, Florida (CNN) -- An autopsy report released Wednesday confirmed that a SeaWorld trainer killed after a 12,000-pound killer whale pulled her underwater died of drowning and traumatic injuries to her body, including her spine, ribs and head. For many years, Brancheau was frequently paired with orcas and would perform various stunts with and alongside them. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Dawn Brancheau was a Sea World trainer who worked with various whales at Sea World Orlando. Speaking to The Sun Online, her sister Debbie Frogameni reflected on the dark days in the aftermath of losing Dawn and the difficult road in trying to deal with what happened. February will mark the seventh anniversary of the death of SeaWorld Senior Trainer Dawn Brancheau. In addition to winning several awards, Blackfish started a national conversation surrounding conservation and captivity and was credited with SeaWorlds recalibration on how it treats the animals in its care. Witnesses said she may have died much earlier in the struggle. SeaWorld's Web site said the park would be open Thursday but that killer whale shows were suspended for the time being at its Orlando and San Diego, California, parks. File photo of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was killed during an accident at the park Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Killed by a whale . She was killed by Tilikum, a 12,000-pound killer whale. After minutes of frenzied work to save 40-year-old Dawn Brancheau, the whale was finally corralled but still refused to unclench its teeth, according to the investigative reports released by the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Dawn had been working with Tilikum, SeaWorld Orlando's biggest orca, for 16 years (Image: Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Dawn was one of the star trainers at Seaworld - she was key to the killer whale shows and her face was seen on billboards advertising the park. (Fletcher/AP) ORLANDO , Fla. Thomas said it was when she was removed from the water and he observed that she had been scalped that he realised that she had died. She will release "In Living Color: A Cultural History" on Rowman & Littlefield Press in April 2022, and "The Golden Girls: A Cultural History" on Rowman & Littlefield Press in October 2022. 24 February 2010 SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau dies during a training session with Tilikum, the largest orca held at SeaWorld Orlando. As rescuers struggled to deploy one of the nets, Tilikum circled the pool, with Brancheau, 40, still held tightly in his mouth. The orca's was so violent with Brancheau that part of her scalp was "forcibly torn from the head," the autopsy said. Meanwhile, six years after the tragedy SeaWorld announced it was ending its programme of breeding the orcas in captivity. By nature, he was an apex predator but by circumstance, he was confined and, perhaps unnaturally, trained to perform in the park's famous animal entertainment performances. Its third location in San Antonio, Texas, is not yet open for the season. Despite efforts by rescuers, she could not be saved. SeaWorld has also pledged to no longer receive orcas that were caught in captivity, and their focus is now on conservation and rehabilitation of the orcas in their care. MEDIAPICTURES: Dawn Brancheau SeaWorld Trainer Killed, MORE ON CRIMESIDERFebruary 25, 2010 - Dawn Brancheau Pictures: SeaWorld Trainer Loved Whale That Killed HerFebruary 24, 2010 - Tillikum the Killer Whale Had Violent Past Before Deadly Attack on SeaWorld TrainerFebruary 24, 2010 - SeaWorld Trainer Killed by Tillikum the Whale, Trending News "Rock star" reptile breeder murdered; Coroner: "Not a random act" Following Dawn's death, Tilikum was sent to spend most of his days in a pool rarely seen by the public. PICTURES: Dawn Brancheau SeaWorld Trainer Killed. "Obviously, the procedures that we've had in place are something we're revisiting at this point.". SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau (shown in 2005) was dragged underwater by Tilikum and killed in 2010. 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. He and two other whales were involved in the drowning of a trainer at a Victoria, British Columbia, marine park in 1991. The whale would not let us have her, senior trainer Jodie Ann Tintle told investigators. For much of that time, Brancheau was caught in the grip of Tilikum's powerful mouth. SeaWorld staff members recovered Brancheau after Tilikum was coaxed into a smaller pool and lifted out of the water by a large platform on the bottom of the smaller tank, authorities said. Perhaps the most likely explanation is that after 26 years being confined to a concrete tank, this magnificent wild animal had simply snapped. In 1991 he was one of three whales involved in the death of Sealand trainer Keltie Byrne. Tilikum was blamed for the death of a 27-year-old man whose body was found floating in a tank at SeaWorld, the . Its mission, they said, is dedicated to improving the lives of children and animals in need, inspiring others to follow their dreams, and promoting the importance of community service., Now that youve read all about the amazing life, and tragic death, of Dawn Brancheau, read all about the complex lives of orcas in the wild. Twenty minutes later, her body was retrieved from the pool. Another worker, Mark Barner, 23, said it seemed like 10 minutes before the rescuers got the heavy nets in place. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Since we just passed the tenth anniversary of her tragic death this is a timely question about Dawn Brancheau's death at the "fins" of Tilikum, a large (!) A police report written after the horrifying incident in February 2010 paints a truly harrowing picture. The renowned marine trainer was 40 when she tragically died after SeaWorld's largest killer whale Tilikum dragged her under the water at the end of a training exercise on February 24, 2010. The formality of the writing is a reprieve from the reality of the event a vicious and brutal attack by an orca named Tilikum, that had been captured at the age of 2 off Iceland's coast and had since been held as part of SeaWorld's captive breeding program, per National Geographic. Many who've seen the 2013 film "Blackfish" may remember the outline of Tilikum's story taken from his mother, arguably too young, living in confinement in spaces far too small for him, and being bullied by other orcas to the point that his behavior became erratic and downright frightening. 24 Dawn Brancheau Death Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Creative Editorial Video Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 24 Dawn Brancheau Death Premium High Res Photos Browse 24 dawn brancheau death stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Dawn Brancheau, a trainer at SeaWorld Adventure Park who died in a savage attack by one of the park's killer whales in Februaary, is shown while performing in 2005. It was after one of the Dine With Shamu shows that Tilikum carried out his brutal act. He then grabbed her again, this time by the foot, said worker Tanner Grogan, 27. The Brancheau Foundation website mentions Brancheau's dream of working with killer whales at SeaWorld and features numerous pictures with Brancheau smiling and swimming with the whales,. Paramedic Tom Tobin recog nized how desperate the situa tion was getting. Brancheau was lying on a deck at the waters surface above them, face to face with the whale. Shana Groves was in the trainer lounge when I heard the G pool alarm go off. We've received your submission. Despite these concerns, the orca programs went on. This story has been shared 112,868 times. But that wasnt enough. / CBS News, PICTURES: Dawn Brancheau SeaWorld Trainer Killed. In 2016, her family created an eponymous foundation in her honor. Other witnesses claimed they saw Tilikum "hit her" as she tried to escape, and that at points he was carrying her around by her arm, and torso. But as with Dawn Brancheau, the autopsy report for Martnez showed a different scenario. Dawn Brancheau Death Reason It's a 12-year-old incident that happened to occur after the ending of the show where Brancheau was drowned from an arm by the orca. Suddenly, I saw the whale grabbing the trainer by the shoulder and pulling her down in the water near the window, said guest Susanne De Wit. 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According to the analysis, the immediate cause of death was a "pulmonary edema", while the fundamental cause of death was "mechanical asphyxiation due to compression and crushing of the thoracic abdomen with injuries to the vital organs". Sirens rang out for a Signal 500, which warns that someone was in the water and desperately needed help. But as Lynne Schaber waited for the whale to come to the window, she saw "him pull her in.". 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Bernadette Giacomazzo is a NYC-based editor, writer, photographer, and publicist with a career spanning more than two decades in the entertainment industry. The manner of death is accident.". He was bought by SeaWorld, but tragedy struck again in 1999 when he fatally attacked Daniel P. Dukes, who was trespassing at the park. Ed Schipul/Wikimedia Commons SeaWorld animal trainer Dawn Brancheau was tragically killed by an orca during a show in 2010. Her death left many shocked, and those that knew her personally were heartbroken. A police report written after trainer Dawn Brancheau's death paints a horrifying picture of her final moments, describing how she frantically swam for her life as she was mauled, thrown and bashed by a 5.4 tonne whale. Shortly after her death Sealand closed and put Tilikum up for sale. After Tilikum killed Dawn, the show was over. #inline-recirc-item--id-d47d96b4-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Tilikum had spent most of his life performing at SeaWorld after being captured in Iceland near Reykjavik in 1983 when he was two years old. She loved her job.. display: block; On the day in question, Tilikum and Brancheau were performing at the Dining with Shamu show at SeaWorld, where guests enjoyed open-air dining with a live killer whale show. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. County firefighters arrived at SeaWorld within five minutes of getting a 911 call. Dawn Brancheau worked at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, for many years. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. For more information, please see our "He had a great relationship with her, and she had a great relationship with him. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau File photo of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was killed during an accident at the park Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Photo: Dawn Brancheau with an unnamed whale. Six years after Dawn's death SeaWorld announced they would end their programme of breeding the orcas in captivity. He added that he watched as she struggled to free her hair from the orca's mouth. But on Wednesday the whales appeared agitated. DETAILS: DOES CHIEF KEEF HAVE HIV AIDS? Tilikum released Dawn 45 minutes after he grabbed and drowned her. Dawn Brancheau, who had fallen in love with killer whales when she visited SeaWorld as a girl, was pronounced dead on the deck by the pool. The whale "took off really fast in the tank and he came back, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started thrashing (her) around," she told the paper. He was one of the largest orcas at SeaWorld and he had been in captivity for more than 30 years. He added that he believed that she had a broken neck. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { 24 Dawn Brancheau Death Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 24 Dawn Brancheau Death Premium High Res Photos Browse 24 dawn brancheau death stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. He was moved to Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia, about a year later before moving to SeaWorld in 1992. It's very difficult to see the image," said Brazilian tourist Joao Lucio DeCosta Sobrinho. SeaWorld paramedic Thomas Tobin was quick to arrive at the scene, and was there for "three to four minutes" without seeing Dawn reach the surface. The 41-year-old was snatched and dragged into the water during a live show so quickly that no one saw it happening - not even the trainer working as her 'spotter', The Daily Star reports. Growing up, Dawn was a nothing short of a high-achiever - being an the avid learner who could do anything she set her mind to. Animal trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed last month at SeaWorld in Orlando. We attempted to pull the net across the pool but it was catching near around the rocks, said Jeremy Rippy, 40. The gory details of Dawn Brancheau's death in the jaws of a killer whale are not for the faint of heart. She said: "All we wanted to do was have the space to grieve the loss of our beloved Dawn. She was pulled to the bottom of the enclosure after falling into the pool and drowned. Two years after Dawn started work at Seaworld, she became a killer whale trainer. #inline-recirc-item--id-d47d96b4-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-d47d96b4-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { It took only two seconds for a killer whale to yank Dawn Brancheau down into the SeaWorld pool but up to 30 chaotic minutes before rescuers were able to free her lifeless body from the orcas jaws. It ended with the violent death of 40-year-old Dawn Brancheau, who worked there for 15 years. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. In 1999, Tilikum was blamed for the death of a 27-year-old man whose body was found floating in a tank at SeaWorld, the apparent victim of a whale's "horseplay," authorities said then. She had a special relationship with the huge killer whale, Tilikum, also known as Blackfish. Dawn Brancheau was dragged into the water by her hair and brutally battered to death by notorious killer whale Tilikum.