Terror of safari Britons as bull elephant overturns their car

Two British tourists were so traumatised after an elephant attack in the Kruger National Park on Monday that they didn’t leave their camp for two days. The incident happened on the S25 road between Berg-en-Dal and Crocodile Bridge.

The couple, named as Chris Hare, 40, and fiancée Helen Jennings, 40, were left shell shocked after the bad tempered beast stormed onto the road in South Africa’s Kruger National Park and thrust its tusk into their passenger door.

Chris Hare, 40, and fiancée Helen Jennings, 40, told Beeld about how an enraged elephant bull overturned the Hyundai Atos in which they were driving.

“When I came around the bend, the big guy was right in front of us. He walked towards us and I pulled off the road.”

“The elephant appeared to walk past the car but then turned back, pushing a tusk against the passenger door and rolling the car.

The occupants of the upturned Hyundai Atos were named as British tourists Chris Hare, 40, and fiancee Helen Jennings, also 40

“It was terrifying and I just thought: ‘But it can’t be possible that this is happening’,” said Hare.

“They were too scared (on Wednesday morning) to drive out alone in the park and we had to accompany them to the gate,” said Sally Kernick of Lukimbi Safari Lodge.

Rangers later said they found blood on the car of the British couple and thought the elephant might have had a tooth abscess. Park rangers have been trying to locate the elephant to check on the animal’s well being.

The elephant certainly left its mark on the small Hyundai Atos belonging to two British tourists

Lerato Mathole, acting Communications Officer for Kruger National Park, said they are not sure what triggered the elephant charge, but that they suspect it may have something to do with a previous injury. While elephants who feel threatened may be prone to mock charges, Mathole states that an incident like this is extremely rare.

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