The Orlando Sentinel is reporting online and in today's print edition newspaper that SeaWorld Orlando trainer Dawn Brancheau died Wednesday as a result of "multiple traumatic injuries and drowning" after a killer whale pulled her underwater by her long ponytail near the theme park's Shamu Stadium.
The Sentinel cited initial autopsy results detailing the manner and cause of death.
The newspaper reported: As horrified fellow trainers and visitors to the theme park watched, the 12,000-pound orca named Tilikum shook and tossed Brancheau and circled around in a tank with her arm in his mouth, witnesses told the Orlando Sentinel.
The Sentinel added: Brancheau, 40, was petting and otherwise interacting with the killer whale in knee-deep water about 2 p.m. Wednesday when he grabbed her by the ponytail and wouldn't let go, the Orange County Sheriff's Office determined.
Specific injuries weren't released and thenewspaper said it could not confirm other media reoports that the trainer's body was still in the whale's jaws when others got to her.
The Sentinel also reported SeaWorld officials will nt euthenize the 20-foot-plus killer whale and instead plan to keep him.
The whale show part of the park remains closed for now.