A killer whale that was moved to SeaWorld in Florida from Oak Bay's Sealand of the Pacific after a trainer drowned in the whale tank has been linked to the death of another person.

Dan Brown, president of SeaWorld Orlando, confirmed that an experienced 40-year-old trainer, identified as Dawn Brancheau, was killed in an incident with a whale yesterday afternoon.

The whale in the pool was Tillikum, a 30-year-old, 5,000-kilogram killer whale sent from Victoria to Florida in 1992.

It's the third time the whale, the largest in captivity, has been involved in a death.

Tillikum was one of three whales in the Sealand pool when Keltie Lee Byrne, a 20-year-old trainer, fell into the water in 1991. Byrne was dragged below the surface by Tillikum and two female whales.

The three whales batted Byrne around in front of horrified spectators and would not let her out of the water. She drowned.

Bob Wright, who owned Sealand, said he does not blame the whales for Byrne's death. "They were just playing with their favourite trainer and of course, they didn't realize she couldn't stay under water like they could."

Tillikum was involved in another death in 1999 when a 27-year-old man hid in the SeaWorld park and apparently tried to go swimming with the whales. The next morning, staff found the nude body of Daniel Dukes draped over Tillikum's back.

There are conflicting reports about how the trainer died yesterday. Officials say it appears she fell into the tank and was accidentally killed. But an eyewitness claimed the whale jumped out of the water, grabbed the trainer and started shaking her.

Tillikum, who was captured off the coast of Iceland in 1983 when he was about two years old, has primarily been used for breeding since he was sent to SeaWorld.

The orca has fathered numerous calves. One was involved in a 2004 incident at SeaWorld where a trainer was repeatedly slammed under the water, but was not injured.

jlavoie@tc.canwest.com