Elephant herd attacks group of park employees, killing one

JOHANNESBURG -- A herd of elephants has attacked a group of wildlife park employees in South Africa, trampling one to death and seriously injuring another. 

South Africa’s national parks service said Friday that the incident occurred Thursday afternoon near a camp in the flagship Kruger National Park. 

South African news outlet Lowvelder reported that an emergency service representative said one woman suffered fatal injuries after “the elephant tusk entered her lower back and exited her chest.” 

The injured woman was transported to a clinic with a broken femur, Lowvelder reported.

The parks service says police and medics were called to the scene and an investigation is underway. 

There have been occasional reports in some African countries of villagers being killed or injured by elephants, which are heavily poached for their ivory and sometimes attacked by villagers who want to protect their crops. 

Kruger park has seen a few instances of elephants charging cars that get too close. In at least one case, an elephant stamped on a vehicle and caused injuries.