A 59-year-old male tourist tragically lost his life after being trampled by an elephant at Kruger National Park in South Africa last weekend. The incident occurred when the man attempted to save his grandchild from a charging elephant.
According to witnesses, the man and his family had parked their vehicle near the Malelane reception area, close to the Crocodile River. While there, the children ran past a bridge and into the bush, triggering a nearby elephant herd to charge. The man quickly rushed to help the children, but in the process, he was pursued and trampled by one of the elephants. Sadly, he died from his injuries at the scene on January 25, as confirmed by South African National Parks.
The victim has been identified as 59-year-old Shaik Adam Shabir Ammed from eMkhondo, a town in Mpumalanga province, located southeast of Johannesburg, South Africa. He was reportedly attempting to save his grandchild when the tragedy occurred.
According to South African National Parks, the elephant responsible for the fatal incident could not be identified, as several elephants were in the area and moved away quickly as people tried to assist the man.
South African National Parks expressed their regret over the incident and urged the public to refrain from speculation until the police finalize their investigation, asking that the family be allowed to mourn in peace.
South African Police are looking into the matter and have referred inquiries to South African National Parks for updates. South African National Parks has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation but will not provide further updates until the police have completed their report.
The park also expressed its condolences to the Ammed family, offering their support during this difficult time.