Brit tourists cheat death after elephant flips safari canoes during attack

Tourists were left terrified after an elephant charged at their safari canoes and flipped them over during a sudden attack.

The group, which was mixed of UK and US holidaymakers, were struck by the raging animal as they cruised 'gondola style' through Okavango Delta, Botswana. The nightmare unfolded after their guides took them too close to the female elephant and her two calves, which sparked a catasrophic reaction.

The bull of the herd bolted through the shallow waters as the guides attempted to create a larger gap between the group and the animals. But the elephant got their too quick and lifted the canoes over with its trunk.

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Altogether, the four tourists were left frantic as they were tipped into the crocodile-infested waters, while their guides left them to it and ran, reports Mail Online. The elephant briefly left the tourists alone but returned again to attack one of the women within the group. She survived the ordeal after she went under the murky water, with the elephant thought to be unable to track her.

An ex-game ranger, who saw the videos of the attack, said: "They had a very lucky escape indeed because all four could just have easily been killed by that angry bull. The woman was lucky not have been gored, but if it had held her down for another few seconds, it would probably have drowned her, so she can praise the Lord he didn't.

"There are thousands of these dug-out traditional Makoro canoes on the Delta, poling tourists through the reeds to view elephants, hippo, birds, buck and crocodiles. This bull attacked because it was protecting its young, and it seems the guides misjudged how close they could take the tourists safely and made a potentially fatal mistake. There could well have been the need for four body bags if Lady Luck had not favoured them. It will certainly give them a story to tell found the fire for many years to come."

A receptionist based with with one of the canoe companies confirmed the origins of some of the visitors. They commented: "It was a group made up of British and American visitors. There was a lot of expensive camera equipment and phones lost or damaged, but it is a blessing nobody was badly hurt, but wild animals can be very unpredictable."