A Minnesota resident lost her life following an incident where an elephant charged at the tour vehicle she was in during a safari in Africa.

Gail Mattson, aged 79, was participating in a safari at Kafue National Park in western Zambia on March 30. During the excursion, a bull elephant approached the truck transporting her tour group, consisting of six tourists and a guide.

The elephant charged at the truck and overturned it, as depicted in a video circulated on social media, seemingly capturing the event.

Rona Wells, the daughter of Mattson, verified her mother's demise during the safari. In an April 2 Facebook post, she expressed that her mother "lost her life in a tragic accident while on her dream adventure."

The tour company responsible for Mattson’s safari, Wilderness, affirmed in an April 2 press release that an American tourist had passed away following an incident where a tour vehicle was unexpectedly charged by an aggressive bull elephant.

Keith Vincent, Wilderness's CEO, stated in a press release, “Our guides are extremely well trained and experienced, but sadly in this instance the terrain and vegetation was such that the guide’s route became blocked and he could not move the vehicle out of harm’s way quickly enough.”

According to Wilderness, another female tourist sustained injuries in the incident, while four other guests received treatment for minor injuries.

Wilderness also announced that Mattson’s remains would be repatriated to the United States with assistance from Zambian authorities and the U.S. embassy in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital.

This incident follows a similar occurrence involving an aggressive elephant in South Africa’s Pilanesberg National Park last month. In a video captured by a tourist, the elephant can be seen charging a safari tour truck and lifting it with its tusks. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in that incident.

Marlon du Toit, a professional safari guide and wildlife photographer, commented that such frightening encounters with wildlife are rare during safaris. Reflecting on the fatal incident in Zambia, du Toit remarked, “It’s extremely rare to see an elephant that irate react so aggressively.” He added, “I’ve been doing this for 20 years and I’ve never had an encounter as aggressive as that with elephants.”

Du Toit also praised the tour company involved in the Zambia incident, stating that he had worked with them for years and considered them one of the best in Africa. “Across Africa, there are thousands and thousands of guests on safari on a daily basis, with no negative consequences,” he noted.