A safari jeep full of tourists were observing two fighting rhinoceroses in India’s Jaldapara National Park on Saturday when the animals suddenly turned their attention on the jeep and charged.
The driver, Kamal Gazi, put the jeep into reverse but was unable to keep it on the road, veering off down an embankment and causing the jeep to roll over, injuring seven people, as reported by India Today NE.
As the jeep rolled, the rhinos ran off into the woods.
Someone in a second safari jeep captured video of the incident and Indian Forest Service officer Akash Deep Badhawan posted it on Twitter.
I think it’s about time guidelines for safety and rescue in adventure sports are implemented in wildlife safaris across the country. Safaris are becoming more of adventure sports now!
Jaldapara today! pic.twitter.com/ISrfeyzqXt— Akash Deep Badhawan, IFS (@aakashbadhawan) February 25, 2023
“The nearby Madarihat health center received all of the injured tourists right away,” India Today NE stated. “Two of them have apparently been transferred to the Alipurduar district hospital as their condition appears to be critical.”
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Gazi, who sustained minor injuries, told India Today NE he had never encountered a situation like this in his long career, adding, “Fortunately, no one has been killed. Things could have been worse.”
Badhawan stated on Twitter that “it’s about time guidelines for safety and rescue in adventure sports are implemented in wildlife safaris across the country. Safaris are becoming more of adventure sports now!”