Safari horror as Spanish tourist, 43, is trampled to death by elephants in front of his fiancee after stopping to take pictures of the herd in South African game reserve

A Spanish tourer was horrifically crushed to decease successful beforehand of his screaming fiancee by an angry herd of elephants aft he sewage retired of his car to return photographs successful a South African crippled reserve.

The 4 visitors were driving astir nan Pilanesberg National Park adjacent to nan world-famous tourer edifice Sun City erstwhile they spotted a breeding herd pinch 3 young by a lake.

Despite warnings from his 3 chap passengers to get backmost into nan car nan tourist, aged 43, said he wanted to get close-ups of nan six elephants and sewage retired and walked towards them.

A immense 3.5-ton big female cattle protecting nan young members of nan herd was spooked and charged astatine nan man and she was joined by nan different 2 big bulls who besides attacked.

The screaming Spaniard was racing backmost pinch his camera to information done nan bush to his friends successful nan car but was overtaken by nan chasing herd who knocked him down and trampled him to death.

All that witnesses said was near aft nan 30-second onslaught was nan tattered blood-soaked clothing of nan tourer and nan remnants of nan tourist's assemblage crushed into nan earth.

It is understood nan dormant man was connected vacation from Spain pinch his fiancee and was pinch 2 of her South African friends from Johannesburg erstwhile nan calamity happened connected Sunday morning.

A North-West Parks & Tourism Board spokesperson said: 'The elephants moved distant instantly from nan segment without immoderate aggression towards nan adjacent vehicles and vanished successful nan bushes.

'The impermanent was a antheral Spanish national who had entered Bakgatia Gate pinch 3 friends and not acold from nan gross had travel crossed a breeding herd of elephants feeding a region from nan road.

'According to eyewitnesses nan man decided to alight from nan conveyance and attack nan elephants connected ft taking pictures.

'Despite warnings from his chap passengers and occupants from 2 different vehicles that were astatine nan sighting he unluckily did not heed nan warnings.

'An big elephant charged astatine nan man who past ran from nan elephant.

'He was unluckily not capable to flight aliases evade nan elephant which was now joined by nan full herd. He was caught and trampled to death.

'Park officials were alerted and instantly rushed to nan segment to assistance nan affected persons and unafraid nan segment and assistance pinch nan investigation.

'Statements by witnesses who observed nan full incident further propose nan female elephant that charged and attacked mightiness person done truthful to protect nan herd and young ones.

'The lawsuit has been handed complete to nan constabulary for further investigation,' said Pieter Nel, Acting Chief Conservation Officer for nan NW Parks & Tourism Board.

He further stressed that each visitors are warned not to get retired of their cars and that accusation is printed connected their introduction tickets which is not conscionable for nan information of nan guests but besides nan animals.

Mr Nel added: 'The Board is very saddened by this tragic mishap and would for illustration to definitive their sincere condolences to nan deceased's adjacent of kin and friends'.

A parkland ranger speaking connected information of anonymity said: 'It was a very stupid point to do and nan tourer was virtually shouted astatine to get backmost successful his car but wanted to get photographs of nan herd.

'He had walked excessively acold distant disconnected nan roadworthy to beryllium capable to make it backmost to nan car successful clip erstwhile he charged. His friends were successful a panic authorities and needed contiguous master counselling.

'There was not overmuch near to identify. The unfortunate had been trampled into nan ground. Sadly contempt each nan warnings group still get retired to return photos but astir are fortunate capable to get distant pinch it.

'The herd were not to blasted and were acting wholly arsenic normal erstwhile they felt a threat to their young. Indeed they passed correct past nan car pinch nan 3 of his friends successful erstwhile they left' he said.

North West Police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said:'According to accusation received nan man was pinch his fiancée and 2 different females successful their ain vehicle

'They allegedly spotted 3 elephants and 3 calves. Reports propose that nan man stopped nan vehicle, alighted and went person to nan elephants to return pictures.

The elephants allegedly attacked and killed him. The victim's companions were not harmed. The unfortunate is from Spain. A afloat investigation is underway arsenic to nonstop circumstances'.

A female elephant tin guidelines complete 11 feet gangly astatine nan shoulder, measurement up to 4 tons and tally astatine up to 25mph. The bull elephants tin beryllium 2 tons heavier and up to 13 feet astatine nan shoulder.

The Pilanesberg National Park is group successful 320 quadrate miles successful North West Province 100 miles from Johannesburg wrong an ancient volcanic crater and is location to nan Big 5 of elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard and lion.

In March a 79-year-old American tourer Gail Mattson was killed astatine nan Kafue National Park successful Zambia erstwhile nan safari conveyance she was successful was charged by a bull elephant and overturned.

And successful South Africa successful February and March 2 crippled rangers David Kandela, 36, and Philani Sibiya, 33, were killed successful abstracted incidents aft being trampled to decease by elephants while going astir their duties.