US tourist succumbs to injuries after elephant attack in Africa, son defends animal

Following a shocking incident where an American tourist was mauled to death by an elephant while on a safari in Africa, her son has come out in support of the animal.

Recently, Gail Mattson, an 80-year-old woman from Minnesota, succumbed to critical injuries after being attacked by an elephant in the Kafue National Park in Zambia.

Her son, Blake Vetter said that he would neither hold the animal nor the driver responsible for his mother's death and that his mon would be the first to defend the driver and the elephant had she been alive.

"She was really looking forward to this, and she also knew there were risks and that anytime something could happen," Vetter told Daily Mail.

"People want to blame the elephant and the driver. It's awful how people don't know what's going on. The elephant was being an elephant. My mom would be the first to defend the driver and the elephant,” he added.

Elephant attack in Zambia

A video took the internet by storm over the weekend which showed a group of tourists being attacked by a wild elephant in Zambia's Kafue National Park.

The incident claimed the life of Matson, whereas six other tourists were injured and immediately rushed to a local hospital.

The CEO of Wilderness Zambia later released a statement expressing condolences to Mattson's family.

“The operation's guides are all extremely well trained and experienced, but sadly in this instance the terrain and vegetation were such that the guide's route became blocked and he could not move the vehicle out of harm's way quickly enough,” said the statement.

(With inputs from agencies)