Local officials in Zambia reported that a woman from New Mexico was killed by an elephant on Wednesday while visiting the country. Sadly, this marks the second such attack to occur in Zambia this year.
According to officials, Tourneau was among a group of people who had to stop near the Maramba Cultural Bridge because of the traffic caused by the passing elephant herd.
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According to Southern Province Police Commissioner Auxensio Daka, Juliana Gle Tourneau, a 64-year-old from New Mexico, USA, passed away on Wednesday at approximately 5:50 pm. She was hit by a parked vehicle that had stopped due to traffic caused by elephants near the Maramba Cultural Bridge. The tragic incident was reported by the Zambian national broadcaster, ZNBC.
Earlier this year, a tragic incident occurred in Zambia’s Kafue National Park where an American tourist lost their life during a game drive. The same has happened again, with another American tourist being attacked. It marks the second attack of this nature in 2021. The previous incident saw an elephant charge at a truck, flip it over, and kill one tourist while injuring five others.
According to family members, Gail Mattson, a 79-year-old resident of Minnesota, lost her life in the assault. Rona Wells shared on Facebook that her mother passed away in a devastating mishap during her much-awaited expedition.
As the camera pans out, a massive bull elephant can be seen approaching the vehicle in the distance. Although the occupants of the vehicle are not visible in the video, the audio captures their reactions as they spot the majestic animal. “Oh my goodness,” someone exclaims before a man warns, “It’s coming fast.”
As the vehicle comes to a halt, the game ranger’s voice can be heard attempting to deter the elephant with words. The massive creature then clamps its tusks onto the vehicle and flips it over multiple times.
Tourists have been urged by Zambian authorities to be extremely cautious when observing wildlife throughout the country.
