A tour guide has been trampled to death by an enraged elephant after tourists surrounded the giant beast and pulled its tail.
Chinese group leader Yongjie He, 35, had taken about 30 holidaymakers to the Golden Triangle elephant park in Chonburi, Thailand, yesterday afternoon.
As they arrived, two other women were just returning from an elephant ride.
Witnesses said that ten of the excited Chinese tourists then surged forward, surrounding 17-year-old male elephant Pai Utain in a bid to take pictures with him while the women sat on top.
While members of the group were posing next to the huge mammal’s three-foot-long tusks, someone yanked on his tail, witnesses claimed. Pictured: Pai the elephant after the killing
Chinese group leader Yongjie He, 35, had taken about 30 holidaymakers to the Golden Triangle elephant park in Chonburi, Thailand, yesterday afternoon. Pictured: The scene of destruction after the elephant ran amok
Lieutenant Colonel Anan Lahuong, head of Huay Yai Police Station, Banglamung, Chonburi, said: ‘Officers were notified of two injured tourists and one who was dead due to being crushed by an elephant.’ Pictured: Police investigating the death
But while members of the group were posing next to the huge mammal’s three-foot-long tusks, someone yanked on his tail, the witnesses claimed.
This caused Pai to go into a frenzy – flinging one of the riders to the ground while the other desperately clung on and the tourists fled for cover.
Tour guide Yongjie scrambled to protect the group, but was then caught in the path of the spooked beast – which ultimately knocked him to the ground and trampled him.
Several mahouts ran over to get Pai under control and the other girl down.
Police and paramedics arrived at 5.30pm but Yongjie was pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining catastrophic head and chest injuries.
Officers are now investigating the accident at the park, which is used by hundreds of tourists a day as they take part in one of the most popular – and most controversial – activities in Thailand.
Mahout Au Yungung, 37, said the elephant was eventually brought under control and tethered to a tree but was ‘still shaking with fright’.
He said: ‘The elephant was taking tourists back to the main area. Suddenly the tourists gathered round the elephant.
‘One of them pulled the tail and the elephant began attacking people. I tried to control the elephant but could not save the leader of the group.
‘The cause is that the elephants are likely to have been irritated by having the tail pulled. It did not have a seizure. I’ve known this elephant since he was small and he has never hurt anyone, he has always had good habits.’
Tour guide Yongjie scrambled to protect the group, but was then caught in the path of the spooked beast – which ultimately knocked him to the ground and trampled him. Pictured: The scene after the shocking death
Mahout Au Yungung, 37, said the elephant was eventually brought under control and tethered to a tree but was ‘still shaking with fright’. Pictured: Pai after the horrible death
Sakda Malee, 27, one of the managers at the centre, said: ‘The elephant came back and the people on top were waving to the group. Ten more people came from another direction and tried to take pictures of the elephant from the side. I tried to stop them but they didn’t listen.
‘They tried to take photographs of themselves with the ivory tusks, which are about one metre long. This caused the elephant to become moody and irritated. It turned to run away and shake off two of the females on top.
‘One of the girls fell down and one held on. The elephant charged towards the group. They were running everywhere but the leader could not get out of the way in time.’
Police retrieved the dead tour guide’s rucksack, which contained his passport and other travel documents.
Lieutenant Colonel Anan Lahuong, head of Huay Yai Police Station, Banglamung, Chonburi, said: ‘Officers were notified of two injured tourists and one who was dead due to being crushed by an elephant.
‘We must investigate the whole event again and wait for the conclusion. The dead man has also been sent for a forensic examination and the relatives have been informed.’