safari tourist killed

Charging elephant kills an American woman on 'bucket list trip' in Zambia

An American woman who was on what she had called her "last big trip" was killed when a charging elephant flipped over the car she was traveling in at a national park in Zambia .

The “aggressive” creature buffeted the vehicle carrying six tourists and a guide, tour operator Wilderness said in a statement Tuesday. It said the 79-year-old victim died after Saturday's incident on a game drive at the Kafue National Park in western Zambia.

The company did not name the victim but Rona Wells, her daughter, identified her as Gail Mattson in a post on Facebook. She said her mother died in a “tragic accident while on her dream adventure.”

A video circulating on social media apparently showing the incident shows a large elephant running toward a car, which slows down as the animal approaches its left side. The elephant then flips the vehicle over and the passengers can be heard gasping as the car rolls over.

NBC News does not know the condition or identity of the person who filmed the video.

Photos shared online of the car, which is emblazoned with the logo of the tour operator, show it tipped onto its side after the incident, with a deep dent in two of its side doors.

Wilderness, which describes itself as a “leading conservation and hospitality company” operating in eight African countries, including Zambia, did not respond to NBC News when asked to confirm the authenticity of the video and the photos.

But the tour operator’s CEO, Keith Vincent, said in the statement that the company’s “guides are all extremely well trained and experienced.”

"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,” he added.

Another woman was also injured in the incident and taken to a medical facility in South Africa, the Wilderness statement said, adding that four others were treated for minor injuries.

“It’s extremely rare to see an elephant that irate,” Marlon du Toit, a wildlife photographer and safari guide, told the “TODAY” show Thursday. “Across Africa, there are thousands and thousands of guests on safari on a daily basis with no negative consequences.”

The exact cause of Mattson’s death was unclear, but the company said her body would be repatriated to her family in the United States with the support of local Zambian authorities and the U.S. Embassy in the capital, Lusaka.

“This is a tragic event and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died,” the statement added.

NBC News has reached out to Mattson's family for further comment.

Kafue National Park is Zambia’s largest and oldest national park, according to its website, and spans an area of more than 8,000 square miles. Vast regions of the park remain unexplored and the website says it is home to a variety of untamed wildlife.

A 'bucket list trip'

Mattson spent her winters in Sun City West, Arizona, playing bridge and cards, but during the rest of the year, she "travels all over the world," her friend Brenda Biggs told NBC News. Biggs and her husband, John Longabauth, became friends with Mattson when they moved to the area 6 ½ years ago.

Longabauth said Mattson spoke to the couple about her upcoming safari trip about two weeks ago, and called it "one of her bucket list trips." He said she was very excited for the adventure.

Before she left, she gave the couple concert tickets for a show that would happen while she was traveling, telling them to enjoy the concert and "I'll see you when I get back," Longabauth recalled of the conversation.

Biggs said Mattson, who was almost 80 years old, told her that the African safari was her "my last big trip." She said Mattson was "super excited because it was like the culmination of all the trips that she had gone on."

An avid traveler, Mattson took to trips to Europe and Asia, Longabauth recalled, noting that she might have been to South America, too.

Biggs called her friend "flamboyant," "friendly" and "fabulous" and said she loved bright colors. Mattson had taken over Biggs’ job as the event planner for their 200-member bridge club, she said.

"Gail was one of the more up people you'd ever want to meet," Longabauth said. "She was always up. She was always optimistic. She was always seeing the good side of everybody."

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

• South Africa

U.S. Tourist Killed in Zambia Elephant Attack in Second Instance This Year

JOHANNESBURG — A U.S. tourist was killed by an elephant in the Zambian city of Livingstone Wednesday — in the second such attack in the country this year — local officials said.

The officials said Friday that 64-year-old Juliana Gle Tourneau was killed when an elephant that was part of a herd the tourists were watching attacked their vehicle, threw Tourneau out and trampled her.

She was part of a group that had stopped near the Maramba Cultural Bridge due to the traffic caused by the elephant herd near the bridge, they added.

“Juliana Gle Tourneau, 64, of New Mexico, United States of America, died on Wednesday around 17.50 after being knocked from a parked vehicle which had stopped due to traffic caused by elephants around the Maramba Cultural Bridge,” Southern Province Police Commissioner Auxensio Daka told the Zambian national broadcaster, ZNBC.

It is the second such attack this year after another American tourist was killed in March this year during a game drive in a Zambian national park when an elephant charged a truck, flipped it over, killed the tourist and injured five others.

Zambian authorities have called on tourists to exercise extreme caution while observing wildlife around the country.

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80-year-old American tourist killed in elephant attack during game drive in Zambia

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HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A bull elephant charged a truck that an 80-year-old American was riding in with other tourists on a game drive in a Zambian national park, flipping over the vehicle and killing her, a safari company said.

The attack injured five others on March 30 in the vast Kafue National Park , which covers 22,400 square kilometers (8,600 square miles) and is one of Africa’s largest animal reserves.

According to the safari company Wilderness, the “aggressive” bull elephant unexpectedly charged at the truck, which was carrying six guests and a guide on a morning excursion through wild areas.

It wasn’t clear what upset the bull. But in a video widely circulated online, the pachyderm is seen menacingly charging through the bushy terrain toward the tourists’ vehicle. A man is heard shouting “hey hey hey,” in apparent but futile efforts to scare it away. It reaches the truck and flips it over using its trunk.

Another female tourist was seriously injured and flown by helicopter to South Africa for treatment while the rest were treated for minor injuries, the company said.

“This is a devastating incident for everyone involved and we are doing our best to support the family and all affected,” Tarryn Gibson, the safari company’s head of communications told The Associated Press on Thursday. Gibson did not identify the tourist who was killed, and said her family wished for privacy. The company also asked people to not share the video of the attack online.

While many wildlife parks in southern Africa teem with dangerous animals like elephants and lions, such incidents are rare, although they sometimes do occur with fatal consequences due to the unpredictability of wild animals.

Keith Vincent, chief executive officer of the safari company, said rough terrain minimized chances of an escape.

“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” he said.

Elderly American tourist killed in elephant attack while on safari in Zambia

The tourist died after the attack at Kafue National Park.

An elderly American tourist was killed after an "aggressive" bull elephant attacked a vehicle during a game drive in Zambia, the safari operator said.

The incident took place Saturday morning at Kafue National Park, a Lusaka Police spokesperson confirmed to ABC News. Gail Mattson, 79, was confirmed by the family as the victim.

"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 Wednesday.

MORE: Import of live African elephants and hunting trophies restricted in the US

Four other people received treatment for minor injuries after the incident, the company said.

"The six guests were on the game drive when the vehicle was unexpectedly charged by the bull elephant," Keith Vincent, Wilderness' chief executive officer, said in the statement, adding, that the safari guide's vehicle was "blocked" by the terrain at the time of the attack.

"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," Vincent said.

Following the attack, Kafue National Park management was immediately called to assist and a helicopter was dispatched to the scene, according to Vincent. Local police, Zambia's Department of National Parks & Wildlife and other authorities are involved in the investigation, he said.

MORE: Global warming could increase risk of human-elephant conflict, researchers say

Wilderness is cooperating with the investigation, Vincent said.

"This is a tragic event and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died," he said in the statement. "We are also, naturally, supporting those guests and the guide involved in this distressing incident."

The elderly woman's remains will be repatriated to her family in the U.S. with support from local Zambian authorities and the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka, according to the statement.

MORE: Videos show terrifying moment bull elephant lifts safari truck

Last month, a similar bull elephant attack took place in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa.

Videos of the March 18 incident show a bull elephant lifting a 22-seat safari truck up several times with his trunk before letting it drop. There were no deaths reported in that incident.

Hendry Blom, a bystander who caught the incident on camera, told ABC News, "We were definitely scared, especially for the people in the truck because we thought they might die."

ABC News' Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.

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Elephant attack leaves American woman dead in Zambia's Kafue National Park

By Sarah Carter , Adam Duxter

Updated on: April 4, 2024 / 6:13 PM EDT / CBS News

Johannesburg — An elephant attack that left an American woman dead in Zambia was captured in harrowing cellphone video over the weekend. The clip, shot by tourists in Zambia's Kafue National Park, begins inside an open safari vehicle during a game drive.

In the distance, a large bull elephant can be seen coming toward the vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle cannot be seen in the video clip, but someone is heard, saying: "Oh my goodness," before a man says, "it's coming fast."

The vehicle stops and then another voice, presumably the game ranger, tries to ward off the elephant verbally as the large pachyderm hooks its tusks onto the vehicle and rolls it several times.

Family members  confirmed that Gail Mattson, a 79-year-old Minnesotan, was killed in the attack. In the post on Facebook, Rona Wells said her mother had died in "a tragic accident while on her dream adventure."

Mattson, a retired loan officer, was 11 days into a month-long vacation overseas, her family told WCCO, describing her as "adventurous" and "loved by everybody."

Wilderness Safaris, which operates the tour in the Zambian park, said in a statement that it was cooperating with national authorities to investigate the incident and it offered condolences to Mattson's family.

Wilderness said the other tourists traveling with Mattson were also Americans, four of whom sustained minor injuries in the attack.

"Our guides are extremely well trained, but sadly the terrain and vegetation was such that the route became blocked," the company said, explaining that the ranger "could not move the vehicle out of harm's way quickly enough."

Mattson was evacuated to a hospital in South Africa after the incident but succumbed to her injuries.

Kafue National Park is Zambia's largest national park at 8,650 square miles. It's a popular tourist destination as it's home to five of sub-Saharan Africa's iconic big animal species, lions, elephants, leopards, rhinoceros and buffalo.

Sarah Carter is an award-winning CBS News producer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has been with CBS News since 1997, following freelance work for organizations including The New York Times, National Geographic, PBS Frontline and NPR.

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American tourist killed after elephant rammed truck on African safari seen smiling in photos before attack

T he American tourist killed by a charging bull elephant that flipped over their safari vehicle in Zambia over the weekend has been identified as an adventurous 79-year-old woman who wanted the trip to be her “last big adventure.”

Mattson, who was visiting from Minnesota, was pictured the day she was killed on the safari vehicle holding a flower, her grieving family told KSTP.

She was one of six tourists with the group Wilderness Zambia who were out on a game drive Saturday in Kafue National Park when they came under attack by the incensed animal.

Terrifying video footage shows the elephant chasing after the safari vehicle moments before it charged the group, tipping the truck over as the guide repeatedly yelled at the creature. 

The passenger continues to record as the elephant flips the vehicle over. 

Family told the outlet that the US Embassy contacted them about her death.

Loved ones described the 79-year-old as kind, adventurous and very active in her community.

“She had told us that this safari was going to be her last big adventure,” said  her friend  John Longabauth. “Because her birthday is in the summer — I think she was going to be 80, and she felt like she would start slowing down. To be honest, I don’t know if she’d slow down or not. But at least you wouldn’t be traveling as far, probably.”

Mattson split time between living in Minnesota and Arizona, her family said.

Her friends in Arizona held a memorial for her following her sudden death. 

According to the Safari company, one other guest was hurt and taken to a private medical facility.

The four other tourists on the trip were treated for minor injuries after the violent outburst.

The horrifying incident unfolded at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday during a game drive through Kafue National Park, Wilderness Zambia CEO Keith Vincent said in a statement. 

Kafue National Park’s management sent a helicopter to evacuate the victims. 

“This is a tragic event and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died. We are also, naturally, supporting those guests and the guide involved in this distressing incident,” Vincent said.

The group of tourists had been staying at the luxurious Lufupa Camp in the Kafue National Park, the largest game reserve in Africa. 

The tour group is making arrangements for Mattson’s body to be returned to the US. 

Police and other authorities are investigating the incident. 

• animal attack

Elephant attack during safari kills 80-year-old American tourist in Zambia

The tourist died after the attack at Kafue National Park.

An elderly American tourist was killed after an "aggressive" bull elephant attacked a vehicle during a game drive in Zambia, the safari operator said.

The incident took place Saturday morning at Kafue National Park in Zambia, a Lusaka police spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.

"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 Wednesday.

The 80-year-old woman was injured during the "unexpected" incident and transferred to a hospital in South Africa, where she later died, according to Wilderness. Four other people received treatment for minor injuries after the incident, the company said.

"The six guests were on the game drive when the vehicle was unexpectedly charged by the bull elephant," Keith Vincent, Wilderness' chief executive officer, said in the statement, adding, that the safari guide's vehicle was "blocked" by the terrain at the time of the attack.

"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," Vincent said.

Following the attack, Kafue National Park management was immediately called to assist and a helicopter was dispatched to the scene, according to Vincent. Local police, Zambia's Department of National Parks & Wildlife and other authorities are involved in the investigation, he said.

Wilderness is cooperating with the investigation, Vincent said.

"This is a tragic event and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died," he said in the statement. "We are also, naturally, supporting those guests and the guide involved in this distressing incident."

The elderly woman's remains will be repatriated to her family in the U.S. with support from local Zambian authorities and the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka, according to the statement.

Last month, a similar bull elephant attack took place in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa.

Videos of the March 18 incident show a bull elephant lifting a 22-seat safari truck up several times with his trunk before letting it drop. There were no deaths reported in that incident.

Hendry Blom, a bystander who caught the incident on camera, told ABC News: "We were definitely scared, especially for the people in the truck because we thought they might die."

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.

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Elephant attacks safari vehicle, killing american tourist; video, share this article.

Footage has surfaced showing the harrowing moments last Saturday as a massive bull elephant chased and flipped a safari vehicle in Zambia, causing the death of a U.S. tourist.

The accompanying footage , shared by Andrew Cash, shows the elephant closing on the vehicle, which had run out of road moments before the attack. As tourists express alarm, a guide repeatedly yells “Hey!” in an attempt to ward off the elephant.

Details are slow to emerge, but Wilderness Destinations issued a statement in the aftermath of the incident in Kafue National Park. It reads, in part:

“Wilderness can confirm that an 80-year-old female American guest was tragically killed by a bull elephant while on a game drive at its Kafue National Park destination in Zambia on Saturday.

“Another female guest was also injured in this incident, when an aggressive bull elephant charged the vehicle carrying six guests and a guide who were on a game drive from Lufupa Camp. The injured guest was taken to a private medical facility in South Africa while the other four guests received treatment for minor injuries.”

Elephant attacks are rare, but the docile-looking animals are unpredictable and should always be treated with respect.

Wilderness Destinations expressed “deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died” and addressed remarks on social media regarding why the vehicle had stopped:

“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.”

A helicopter was involved in the rescue of the injured tourists. Several agencies are involved in the investigation.

–Elephant image is generic

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Tourist killed by rampaging elephant on Zambian safari

An 80-year-old American woman has been killed while on safari in Zambia after an elephant charged at her car and flipped it over several times.

She was part of a group of six tourists staying at the luxurious Lufupa Camp in the country’s Kafue National Park , the largest game reserve in Africa, with a tour company called Wilderness Zambia.

The group were out on a photography tour last weekend when the elephant charged.

Footage posted online shows the vehicle cruising along a bush-lined road where a bull elephant – the largest land-living mammal on Earth – can be seen walking in the vegetation.

But when the elephant apparently spots them, it breaks into first a trot and then an all-out run.

Just as the elephant catches up with the car, the vehicle suddenly stops. A statement from Wilderness said the route was “blocked”.

The passenger in the car continues to film as the elephant turns towards the group and flips the vehicle over twice.

‘Tragic event’

The 80-year-old woman, who has not been named, later died from her injuries. Another woman in the group was also injured and hospitalised. The four other guests received treatment locally for minor injuries.

“At around 9.30am on Saturday morning the six guests were on the game drive when the vehicle was unexpectedly charged by the bull elephant,” said Keith Vincent, Wilderness Zambia’s chief executive officer, in a statement released to local media.

“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.”

Mr Vincent says Kafue National Park’s management dispatched a helicopter to the scene.

“This is a tragic event and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died. We are also, naturally, supporting those guests and the guide involved in this distressing incident,” Mr Vincent said.

Kafue National Park is the largest game reserve in Africa and is managed by African Parks, which also controls a further 22 wildlife sanctuaries in Africa.

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Harrowing video shows elephant charging truck during african safari, killing american tourist.

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Shocking video captured the moment a 5-ton bull elephant in Zambia charged at a safari vehicle — flipping it over several times and killing an 80-year-old American woman during an expedition.

The unidentified woman was among six tourists with the group Wilderness Zambia who were out on a photography tour Saturday when they came under attack by the crazed beast, the Telegraph reported.

“At around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday morning the six guests were on the game drive when the vehicle was unexpectedly charged by the bull elephant,” Wilderness Zambia CEO Keith Vincent said in a statement.

One international client killed by elephant in Kafue National Park from lufupa Lodge during Safari. Two injured and being evacuated to Lusaka. Full details being awaited from the operator through the Senior Warden Kafue Region. Very unfortunate indeed. pic.twitter.com/4ntbyhec1G — Gina (@ginnydmm) April 2, 2024

Distressing footage captured by a passenger shows the elephant barreling toward the vehicle as it cruises along a bush-lined road before suddenly stopping when its path was blocked.

The passenger continues to record as the animal lunges at the vehicle and flips it over.

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The elderly woman later died of her injuries while another woman remains hospitalized.

The other four guests were treated for minor injuries after the violent attack.

“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,” Vincent said.

Kafue National Park’s management sent a helicopter to the scene to evacuate the victims.

 “This is a tragic event and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died. We are also, naturally, supporting those guests and the guide involved in this distressing incident,” Vincent added.

The group was reportedly staying at the luxurious Lufupa Camp in the Kafue National Park, the largest game reserve in Africa.

African Parks, which manages the park, also controls 22 other wildlife sanctuaries in Africa.

The tour group was making arrangements to return the woman’s body to the US, the Nigerian Bulletin reported.

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American tourist killed by elephant in Zambia was an adventurer, family says

"sadly she lost her life in a tragic accident while on her dream adventure," the tourist's daughter wrote in a facebook post., by the associated press • published april 5, 2024.

Family members described an American tourist who was killed in Africa when a bull elephant charged the truck she was riding in as an adventurer who loved to travel.

They identified her as Gail Mattson, 79, of Minnetonka, Minnesota. She was with other tourists on a game drive in a Zambian national park when the animal charged, flipping over the vehicle and killing her, a safari company said Thursday. The attack also injured five others on March 30 in Kafue National Park, which at 8,600 square miles (22,400 square kilometers) is one of Africa’s largest animal reserves.

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"Sadly she lost her life in a tragic accident while on her dream adventure," her daughter, Rona Wells, said in a Facebook post.

Her son, Blake Vetter, told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that “this is more than about a little old lady that got killed by an elephant. She lived an extraordinary life” while raising two children by herself.

According to the safari company Wilderness, the “aggressive” bull elephant unexpectedly charged at the truck, which was carrying six guests and a guide on a morning excursion through wild areas.

Vetter told the newspaper his mother loved adventure trips to China and other destinations. She was a mortgage company loan officer before she retired at 55. She split her time between the Minneapolis and Phoenix areas and golfed three to four times a week, he said.

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“We were going to skydive when she got back,” Vetter said.

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While many wildlife parks in southern Africa teem with dangerous animals like elephants and lions, it's rare for such a charging attack to occur.

Keith Vincent, CEO of the safari company, said the terrain made it impossible for the vehicle to get away.

“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” he said.

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Elephant attacks are becoming more common, experts say

A New Mexico woman died in Zambia this week when an elephant charged a parked car.

An African elephant killed a 64-year-old tourist in Zambia on Wednesday, the second fatal attack in the country this year.

A parked tourist vehicle was observing a herd by the Maramba Cultural Bridge in the city of Livingstone when one of the elephants ambushed the car. According to the Associated Press, Juliana Gle Tourneau, a visitor from New Mexico, was thrown out and trampled to death.

On March 30, a bull elephant charged and flipped a game-drive vehicle in Zambia’s Kafue National Park. The male animal injured five passengers and killed Gail Mattson, a 79-year-old from Minnesota.

Wildlife experts say elephants have been exhibiting more aggressive behavior toward people because of growing pressure on their habitats and herds. According to the World Wildlife Fund , elephants have killed more than 200 people in Kenya over the last seven years. In India, several hundred people perish each year because of ill-fated elephant encounters, said Joshua Plotnik, an elephant behavior and cognition researcher at Hunter College in New York City.

“As human development expands and natural elephant habitat decreases, the frequency of interactions has inevitably increased,” Plotnik said. “This leads to more elephant and human deaths, unfortunately.”

Chase LaDue, a conservation scientist at the Oklahoma City Zoo, said the position and timing of safari vehicles can contribute to an attack. And “just like people,” he said, “elephants can get frustrated and act out after they’ve just gone through a stressful experience.”

“ When you drive upon an elephant herd, you don’t know what happened 30 minutes ago,” LaDue said. “They may have just gotten out of a stressful situation and thought they were in the clear, and you caught them at the wrong moment.”

In the March incident, LaDue noted “the vehicle was in a bad spot with vegetation that made it difficult to give the elephant the space that it needed.”

Not all interactions end tragically. In March, a male elephant used its trunk like a crane to repeatedly lift and drop a wildlife-viewing truck in South Africa’s Pilanesberg National Park. The guide scared off the elephant with loud noises, such as shouting, revving the engine and slamming the doors. No one was injured.

Wildlife experts say African elephants, which are the world’s largest land mammal, need a prodigious amount of space and resources to survive. However, human development has been nibbling away at their habitat. Tourists on safari are also encroaching on their diminishing space. In these situations, a human-elephant conflict, or HEC, can transpire.

“Instances of these HECs are increasing as elephants seek out high-quality food resources by crossing from national park or protected habitats and enter crop fields and farm lands,” Plotnik said.

Elephants are also more prone to aggression during certain phases of their life cycle. For example, males can turn dangerous when they are broadcasting their availability to potential mates.

During musth, their testosterone is surging, and they will secrete a chemical that leaves wet streaks on the side of their face. LaDue said uninformed visitors might misinterpret the drippings as tears or crying, but experienced safari guides should know better.

“Certainly any guide would recognize those [signs] and give male elephants wide berth,” he said.

Females, which can give birth any time of year, are very protective of their young. LaDue said the youngsters can be playful and mischievous, and may wander off. If a safari vehicle or caravan wedges itself between the baby and the mom or herd, a perilous situation could arise.

“Females have a vested interest in protecting those calves at all costs possible,” he said. “You can unknowingly get yourself in the danger zone where you’re splitting a calf from the rest of the herd. Or maybe you didn’t realize the mother was on one side and the calf is on the other. These sort of conflicts are relatively common in Africa.”

LaDue acknowledges that wildlife activities involve risk. To ensure a safer experience, he recommends travelers ask the safari company about what kind of training their guides undergo. At the very least, they should be experienced in first aid and medical emergency care. Some countries also have accreditation programs, he added.

If you come upon an elephant in a community or city, Plotkin said to avoid it. National parks, game reserves and protected areas, where elephants roam free, will limit the number of daily visitors or vehicles to reduce the stress on the colossal animals.

“As natural habitats with high-quality food continue to disappear, we are going to not only see more and more HEC, but the need to come up with more effective solutions will become even more important,” Plotkin said. “Human-elephant coexistence is the goal and requires coordinated efforts by governments, tourism agencies, local communities and conservationists to help humans and elephants.”

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

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A 79-year-old American woman was killed in Zambia after an elephant charged at a vehicle carrying tourists in Kafue National Park .

Some may find the above video to be disturbing in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.

Another woman was injured and was taken to a medical facility in South Africa following the incident, which took place on Saturday, the conservation and hospitality company Wilderness, which was running the trip, said in a statement published Tuesday.

Four other people also suffered minor injuries.

Wilderness Chief Executive Officer Keith Vincent said the vehicle, which was carrying six guests and a guide, was “unexpectedly charged” by a bull elephant during the excursion to view wildlife, known as a game drive.

"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," Vincent said.

"This is a tragic event, and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died," he said.

"We are also, naturally, supporting those guests and the guide involved in this distressing incident," he added.

ABC News confirmed with family members that Gail Mattson, 79, was killed in the attack.

A helicopter was dispatched to the scene and authorities are investigating.

Zambia is popular with safari travelers thanks to a number of national parks and the quality of its guides.

Kafue is the country’s largest national park and is home to more than 200 animal species.

It is known for lion and leopard sightings as well as an incredible diversity of antelope species, many of which are rarely seen elsewhere.

This is not the first time an American tourist has died at the park.

In September 2016, Bianca Rudolph was found dead in her hunting cabin after a fatal shotgun blast.

In August 2023, her husband, Lawrence Rudolph, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife of 30 years.

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• Human Interest

American Tourist, 80, Dead After 'Aggressive' Bull Elephant Charges at Safari Vehicle in Zambia

The incident occurred 10 days after another elephant attacked a separate safari vehicle in South Africa

Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years.

Henrik Karlsson/Getty

• An 80-year-old American tourist died after an elephant attack in Zambia on March 30
• The woman and five other guests were on a game drive through Kafue National Park around 9:30 a.m. local time when the “aggressive” bull elephant charged at their vehicle, according to a statement obtained by PEOPLE
• The woman's body will be returned to the United States with support from local authorities and the U.S. Embassy

An 80-year-old American woman died after an elephant attacked a safari group in Zambia over the weekend.

The woman and five other guests were on a game drive through Kafue National Park around 9:30 a.m. local time on March 30 when the “aggressive” bull elephant charged at their vehicle, according to a media statement from hospitality and conservation company Wilderness obtained by PEOPLE.

The group, which was staying at the Lufupa Camp inside the largest game reserve in Africa, had gone out for a photography tour when the attack occurred, according to The Telegraph .

The woman killed in the incident will be returned to her family in the United States “with the support of local Zambian authorities and the US Embassy in Lusaka,” the company said.

“This is a devastating incident for everyone involved and we are doing our best to support the family and all affected and to respect their wishes for privacy,” a spokesperson tells PEOPLE.

Footage of the incident viewed by PEOPLE, showed the elephant running behind the vehicle before heading toward them. The vehicle then stopped, and the elephant charged. 

One individual can be heard yelling at the animal before it made contact with the vehicle and flipped it.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In Wilderness’ statement, chief executive officer Keith Vincent said the vehicle’s route was “blocked” due to vegetation and the terrain, making it so the “experienced” guide could not move the car out of harm’s way “quickly enough.”

“This is a tragic event,” Vincent aded, “and we offer our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died.”

The five other guests were injured, including a woman who was transported to a private medical facility in South Africa, according to the company. The remaining four guests were treated for minor injuries.

Vincent said Wilderness is supporting the guests and guide “involved in this distressing incident.”

The deadly incident in Zambia occurred just 10 days after another safari truck had a run-in with an elephant in South Africa.

A group of tourists were on a safari trip through Pilanesberg National Park on March 20 when the seemingly unhappy animal charged toward the vehicle and tossed it several times, according to the Associated Press. Luckily, no one was injured.

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07.06.2024 19:57

Tourism minister says such incidents are taken seriously, as they try to ensure safety of all visitors.

An elderly American tourist was killed by a hippo attack this week when one charged at her on a walking safari, the country's tourism minister announced Friday. "The Ministry of Tourism is saddened to learn of the tragic accident that occurred on June 5 in Lower Zambezi National Park," said Rodney Sikumba in a statement. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife said a woman tourist, age 70, was taking a walking safari in the company of a tour guide when a hippo suddenly charged and killed her. Sikumba said in the capital Lusaka that the incident served as a poignant reminder of the shared responsibility for ensuring the safety of visitors in the national parks, game management areas, and all protected areas. "Despite the efforts of our well-trained wildlife police officer and tour guide to intervene when the hippo was noticed to have started charging and attacking the tourist, the situation unfortunately unfolded quickly and tragically resulted in the loss of life," he added, saying that his ministry regrets the incident. "This definitely serves as a somber reminder of the importance of adhering to safety protocols in our national parks," he said. Sikumba said investigators are looking into what could have gone wrong with the quick intervention protocols to avert injury or death. He added that such incidents are taken seriously by his ministry, which is mandated to ensure the safety of all visitors. -