Seaworld 911 Call Released News

There is news that the 911 calls after last week’s killer whale attack at SeaWorld in Orlando have been released.

Here’s an excerpt of one conversation:

Caller: “We actually have a trainer in the water with one of our whales … the whale that they’re not supposed to be in the water with.”

Dispatch: “Okay”

Caller: “So we don’t know what’s going on, um, we were just told to call and have people here on standby when they get the person out.”

Dispatch: “Okay and do you know if, so you don’t know if the person was injured or having a medical problem?”

Caller: “No idea.”

Dispatch: “Okay. Very well then.”

Caller: “…I don’t think they are out of the water yet, they’re still in there with the whale, so…”

Dispatch: “Okay but someone is on scene and they are getting them out of the water now.”

Caller: “There are people working on it, yes. So far… 2 to 3 dozen people over there now.”

Dispatch: “All right, we’ll get somebody en-route…”

Later the caller phones back to report a defibrillator was pulled out for use.

Trainer Dawn Brancheau died after the whale called Tilikum grabbed her and then refused to let her go.

Tanner Grogan, who scrambled to help other employees unfurl nets to corral Tilikum, said the whale at one point let go for several seconds, but snatched Brancheau again by the foot before anyone could react. The plastic, weighted nets -- similar to temporary fencing used at construction sites -- were unrolled and dropped in the water to help direct the whale to a pool with a hydraulic lift.

It’s not clear how long it took workers to finally trap the whale in that pool and lift him from the water. One witness said it seemed like 10 minutes. Another said it could have been as long as 30 minutes.

Even after the whale was lifted out of the water, Brancheau still could not be freed until the whale’s jaws were pried open. The trainer was pronounced dead by paramedics on the deck by the pool.

“Tilly was not giving up Dawn,” said Robin Ann Morland, another SeaWorld worker.

Earlier this week friends and family gathered at a church in Chicago for Brancheau’s funeral.

The park staged a video tribute to the trainer last weekend.