A 33-year-old woman died on Monday at the Dubare elephant camp in southern India when two trained elephants suddenly began fighting during a bathing session on the banks of the Kaveri River. The activity, which takes place in the presence of tourists, turned violent without warning.
The handlers tried to separate the animals, but the fight quickly intensified. One of the elephants rammed the other, which lost its balance and fell to the ground. Amid the chaos, the tourist, who was watching from very close by, became trapped under the body of the fallen animal.
The injuries were fatal, and the woman died at the scene before emergency teams could treat her. Authorities have expressed their condolences to the family and have opened an investigation to review the camp’s safety measures and determine whether additional precautions are needed.
