Three killed as van hits elephant in Ugandan park

A passenger van struck an elephant in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park on Sunday, killing three people and injuring four others, police said in a statement on Monday.

The van was transporting employees of the Uganda Revenue Authority travelling from a city in northern Uganda to Kampala, the capital. After hitting the animal, the driver lost control of the vehicle, police said.

Police urged motorists to exercise extreme caution while driving through national parks and wildlife-protected areas. “Motorists are strongly urged to exercise extreme caution,” the statement read.

The elephant was injured in the crash. It was not clear whether the animal survived. Footage from the scene showed the injured elephant struggling in a nearby bush.

Wildlife officials say such incidents are rare but highlight the human-wildlife conflict that can emerge in protected areas accessible to people. Murchison Falls National Park is one of Uganda’s largest and most visited parks, home to elephants, giraffes, lions and other wildlife.

The Uganda Revenue Authority has not yet commented on the incident. The injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

SOURCE: AP