Four injured as giraffe causes Kruger Park accident

A giraffe caused an accident involving two vehicles after stepping into the road in the Kruger National Park on Sunday morning.

Four people were injured in the incident.

“A Kombi with 13 day visitors on their way to Letaba was involved in an accident south of Mopani earlier today [Sunday]. Two occupants were treated for minor injuries and taken to hospital for observation,” SA National Parks spokesperson Ike Phaahla told TimesLIVE.

“Indications are that a giraffe stepped into the road and the taxi could not avoid hitting it and the animal fell on top of a rental safari vehicle. The driver, a Swiss national, was seriously injured and the passenger suffered minor injuries. Medical personnel stabilised him at the scene before airlifting him to hospital,” he added.

The giraffe died on impact.

Phaahla said that police, who were on the scene, would conduct an investigation into what led to the accident.

'SANParks continues to warn visitors to the KNP to observe the speed limit and be careful on the roads,” he said.