WATCH | Prayers and pleas for mercy as elephant lifts safari truck full of tourists

Anxious prayers could be heard on board a safari truck which was attacked by an elephant in the Mankwe region of the Pilanesberg National Park on Monday. 

Two videos of the attack — one of which was captured by one of the passengers on board the truck under attack — have been shared widely on social media.

In one of the clips, the driver can be seen driving towards the elephant which seemingly initially retreats but then stops before charging the vehicle. 

Realising the danger that he and the passengers are in, the driver tries to reverse, banging hard on the side of side of the open-roof vehicle as he screams, “Hey!, Hamba!  (go away)” at the elephant which is heading straight towards them.

The elephant wedges its tusks under the front part of the vehicle and lifts it into the air before slamming it into the ground.

The driver can be seen being lifted from his seat before bouncing back into place.

“Sorry, sorry” the safari guide screams, pleading for mercy from the animal.

“Woah, woah, Ho, ho, hey, enough,” he pleads. 

In the background, women who have taken cover between seats can be heard praying for protection.

Lifting up his hands as though pleading for mercy and in surrender, the driver tells the elephant “enough” before it finally walks away. 

The vehicle, however, seemingly suffered some damage and had trouble moving afterwards. 

Mankwe Game Trackers, a company under Tourvest Adventures, confirmed it was aware of the incident which happened on March 18. 

The company said though all safety protocols were diligently observed before commencing the game drive, towards the end of the drive, a bull elephant had approached the vehicle and exhibited signs of musth — a periodic condition in male elephants characterised by aggressive behaviour and accompanied by a rise in reproductive hormones. 

“This understandably presented some unique challenges and safety concerns for the guide. It is not uncommon or unheard of for elephants to attack vehicles. All tour guides are well trained for just such occurrences in line with the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) and the Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) professional authority standards,” it said.

The company said despite the intensity of the situation, their guide prioritised the wellbeing of the guests and the elephant, resulting in no injuries being sustained. 

“The encounter was immediately reported through the appropriate channels, leading to a response team and two safari vehicles being dispatched — one dedicated to guests and the other to retrieve the damaged vehicle. While this is an isolated incident, we take the safety of our guests and rangers seriously.”

The company said it has reached out to the affected guests and provided necessary counselling and support to the guide to assist with the traumatic experience.

“We are happy that all parties are safe, and we would like to thank our staff for handling the incident professionally, which is echoed through the various messages from the passengers that have been shared with us,” it said.

TimesLIVE

TimesLIVE