A British tourist and her Kiwi cousin were tragically crushed to death by a “peaceful-looking” elephant in a shocking safari accident.
Janet Taylor Easton, 67, from Bradford, and her cousin Alison Taylor, 67, from New Zealand, died in the horrific attack in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park.
The couple went on a sunrise safari in the southern African country in July last year.
During the tour, their group came across an elephant and her baby.
According to the guide, the animal first attacked Alison within a few seconds.
As chaos broke out, the guides opened fire on the fleeing elephant and he was injured in the process.
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Police say the guides were unable to stop the attack, resulting in the death of both women.
This week the Zambian Tourism Ministry submitted a full report to Bradford Coroner’s Court as part of its investigation into the couple’s tragic deaths.
Using the report, Assistant Coroner Carolyn Chandler was able to reach her final verdict, citing the cause of his demise as “death by accident”.
according to BBC, Chandler said the two women were on a walking safari and had started their day “with the full intention and purpose that (they) wanted to have a beautiful excursion”.
“(He) certainly didn’t anticipate that it would end the way it did, very tragically,” Chandler said.
He said the safari guide observed the elephants from a distance, where they “appeared calm”.
“The guides adjusted the moves so that they were in the air and undetected,” he said.
“What happened next This is described as occurring within a few seconds.
“The tracker saw the elephant coming from behind and shouted towards the scout who fired a warning shot. The elephant did not stop,” he said.
The inquest revealed that the cause of death was traumatic thoracic injuries and elephant attack.
Chandler also addressed Janet’s brother – William Easton – who attended the inquest via a video link.
He said, “You still have a lot of unanswered questions and I hope you can get to the bottom of them so you and the rest of the family can find some resolution.”
Janet – affectionately known as Janice – taught chemistry at Titus Salt School in Baildon, Bradford, from September 1983 until she retired in August 2022.
Described as an intrepid traveller, she visited many places including New Zealand, Canada and Brazil.
Beloved in her community, Janice’s former colleague Phil Temple said she had also been “admired” for her skills.
“Janice had a profound impact on generations of pupils and students in the local community, as well as countless colleagues who admired her skills, tenacity and determination to ensure that all young people had the opportunity to succeed,” he said.
“Janice will be fondly remembered by everyone at Titus Salt School and the wider communities.”
Janice’s cousin Alison has been described by Porirua City Council councilor Geoff Hayward as representing “the best of the Bay”.
A long-time resident of Titahi Bay, New Zealand, Hayward said she was an “open, cheerful” volunteer who gave her time to help others through her work, and was an important part of her local community.
Alison’s colleagues at the Porirua Citizens Advice Bureau said she was “a valued and highly effective volunteer” and “will be greatly missed”.
The pair of cousins had been living in the bush camp for four days and had planned to move to another camp before the attack.
Locals in Zambia have also expressed their condolences to both women, with one person posting an emotional tribute online.
“(The couple) spent four peaceful days immersed in nature,” he wrote.
“His journey was meant to continue – but instead, we remember him for his courage, his curiosity and his love of the wild places of life.”
According to the South Luangwa National Park website, the area has one of the highest concentrations of animals in all of Africa.
Female elephants are very protective of their calves and are known to respond aggressively to anything they perceive as a threat.
