Charging elephant attacks safari vehicle, killing US tourist in Zambia
- The animal flipped the vehicle carrying 6 guests and a guide at Kafue National Park
- The victim, an 80-year-old woman, was transferred to a hospital in South Africa with unspecified injuries and was later pronounced dead
An 80-year-old American tourist was killed after an “aggressive” bull elephant charged a safari vehicle in Zambia.
The incident occurred on Saturday at Kafue National Park while six guests and a guide were driving. The elephant hit the vehicle and flipped it over.
“An aggressive bull elephant charged the vehicle carrying six guests and a guide who were on a game drive from Lufupa Camp,” Wilderness, the company operating the safari, said in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday.
“Our guides are all extremely well trained and experienced, but sadly in this instance the terrain and vegetation was such that the guide’s route became blocked and he could not move the vehicle out of harm’s way quickly enough,” Keith Vincent, Wilderness’ chief executive officer, said in the statement.
The park dispatched a helicopter to the scene.
The 80-year-old woman was transferred to a hospital in South Africa with unspecified injuries and was later pronounced dead. Four others were treated for minor injuries.
The deceased woman was not identified.
The incident is being investigated by Zambia’s Department of National Parks & Wildlife and other local and federal agencies.
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“Local Zambian authorities and the US embassy in Lusaka” are working together to bring the woman’s remains back stateside, the company said.
“This is a devastating incident for everyone involved and we are doing our best to support the family and all affected.”
A similar elephant attack occurred 10 days earlier on a separate safari in South Africa’s Pilanesberg National Park, but no injuries were reported.
