Man killed on honeymoon by an elephant

[Immortalfire]

http://www.ajc.com/hp/content/shared-gen/ap/Africa/Kenya_Elephants.html

NAIROBI, Kenya — An elephant trampled and killed a British man on his honeymoon in Kenya, officials said Monday.

Patrick Smith, 34, was killed in front of his wife, Julie, in the Masai Mara National Reserve on Sunday, officials said. His wife managed to leap out of the way.

"He was trampled by an elephant while on a nature trail with his wife," said Connie Maina, spokeswoman for the Kenya Wildlife Service. "This is a terrible accident."

The couple had been married for just a week, Maina added.

They had arrived in Kenya for their honeymoon and were staying at the luxury Richard's Camp lodge in the game reserve. The camp is on the edge of a forest in the Masai Mara conservation area, about 100 miles southwest of the capital, Nairobi.

The couple set out for their nature walk Sunday morning and were with a Masai guide just 330 yards outside the camp when the elephant attacked, Maina said.

"We think the elephant must have been at very close proximity to the couple and was surprised," she said. "They don't normally do this kind of thing. It is terrible. The wife saw what happened. I am told the wife is OK but is shaken up."

Jake Grieves-Cook, chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board, said the elephant knocked over their guide but the wife escaped injury.

"No one knows what startled the elephants, but the guide was doing everything right. They were downwind and thought they were a safe distance. Elephants have very poor eyesight, so this was not an attack," he said. "It was a tragic accident."

Tourist officials said the tented camp, in the northwestern corner of the Masai Mara, would be closed for several days because of the accident

How sad

 

[Knives122]

That sucks for the wif....I mean widow.

very sad indeed.

 

[Ronny Shade]

That's a pretty good way to go

Widow: "My husband's dead"
Friend: "I'm sorry, how terrible. Was it sudden?"
Widow: "Yes" (crying)
Friend: "There there. How did it happen?"
Widow: "I--I don't want to talk about it" *sniff*
Friend: "That's okay, if you don't want to"
Widow: "He was TRAMPLED BY AN ELEPHANT!" (bawling)
Friend: "Dayumn!"

 

[Abaddon]

She must be crushed.

 

[MiracloFiend]

Wow, that does indeed suck. I was in the Masai Mara not long ago and almost tripped over a warthog at night.

This type of thing doesn't happen often though, and the Mara still kicks ass to go to..

 

[Knives122]

did you mean to include the pun?

 

[Abaddon]

Absolutely.

 

[ThunderPuss]

She must be crushed.

LOL. Harsh, dude.

 

[Mee]

Don't mess with Dumbo.

 

[Knives122]

I could've been that dumbo drop movie elephant Mee. Did you ever think of that?

 

[Erundur]

what a sad way to go

 

[maxwell's demon]

man i'm glad i didnt go to kenya.

 

[Decay]

I definitely am not going to go to Kenya on my honeymoon.

 

[AndThePickles]

Wow, that's tragic

 

[tzarinna]

What a horrific way to go.
I'll be keeping a crazy eyed watch when I ever visit.

 

[Boom]

Only in Kenya.

 

[Ebil Gig]

What a way to end a honeymoon eh?

I wouldn't want my husband that I married a week ago to die in front of my eyes

 

[Equint77]

She must be crushed.

it's been so long since I've been sig'ed...

another step in my comeback. :heart:

 

[enterthemadness]

That's a pretty good way to go

Widow: "My husband's dead"
Friend: "I'm sorry, how terrible. Was it sudden?"
Widow: "Yes" (crying)
Friend: "There there. How did it happen?"
Widow: "I--I don't want to talk about it" *sniff*
Friend: "That's okay, if you don't want to"
Widow: "He was TRAMPLED BY AN ELEPHANT!" (bawling)
Friend: "Dayumn!"

I feel like an arse for thinking that is funny.

 

[Eddie Brock]

well, hopefully he took advantage of the best parts of a honeymoon before he died...