INCIDENT AT LUFUPA ON 30 MARCH 2024
Wilderness can today 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 (SUBS: 30 March).
Another femaleguest 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. Trauma counselling has been provided to all involved.
“At around 09h30 on Saturday the six guests were on the game drive when the vehicle was unexpectedly charged by
the bull elephant. 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” says Keith Vincent, Wilderness Chief Executive Officer.
Vincent says Kafue National Park management were immediately called to assist and that they dispatched a helicopter to the scene. Given the nature of the incident, the Police, the Department of National Parks & Wildlife, and other
authorities are involved in investigating the matter. Wilderness is cooperating fully with this process.
“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.
Out of sympathy to the family of the deceased and the other parties involved, it is requested that parties refrain from distributing any images or video
footage of the incident on social media.”
“Meanwhile our teams will continue to support the family of the deceased, as well those guests and staff impacted by
this event. We will also be guided by the Zambian Government on the way forward” says Vincent.
The deceased will be repatriated to her family in the USA with the support of local Zambian authorities and the US Embassy in Lusaka.
About Wilderness:
Founded more than 40 years ago, Wilderness is a leading conservation and hospitality company focussing on immersing guests in a range of different environments located in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Wilderness is part of a global collective working to conserve the world’s iconic wilderness areas that are unfenced, untamed, and unpredictable. Wilderness currently helps conserve six million acres of land across its eight destinations.
For media enquiries contact:
Tarryn Gibson, Group Head of Communications:
0027 (0)11 257 5000
tarryng@wildernessdestinations.com
So even after a request not to distribute the video on social media, imwe ba ZO still go ahead and do just that