He was trampled by elephants: A tragic story of the death of an American tourist in Gabon

Written by: Ayman Ragab

American businessman Ernie Dossio had no idea that his trip to Gabon would write the final chapter of his life, and not only that, but in a tragic way.

The 75-year-old Doussio was very experienced in hunting wild animals, and throughout his career he succeeded in hunting many of them, elephants, lions and others, so his death inside one of the rainforests in Gabon came as a shock.

How did the incident begin?

Dosio was with another professional hunter, targeting a rare species of antelope known as the yellowback ibex, in the Lupa Okanda region, famous for its biodiversity.

During their movement, they were surprised by the appearance of 5 elephants with their calf at a very close distance, which led to a rapid and dangerous escalation, as elephants are among the most dangerous animals when provoked.

dangerous animals

According to wildlife experts, approaching these animals, especially in the presence of their young, may lead to violent defensive reactions.

Moreover, the rainforests of Central Africa are a complex environment that increases the likelihood of sudden encounters between humans and animals.

At that point, the elephants felt directly threatened, especially with their young present, which prompted them to launch a swift and violent attack, injuring the accompanying hunter at the beginning of the confrontation and causing him to lose his weapon.

Escape failed

The businessman was unable to use his gun to defend himself and was killed instantly.

African elephants are known to become extremely aggressive when they sense danger, especially in densely wooded environments where visibility is limited.

Later, the safari-affiliated organization revealed the death of one of its clients and the injury of the companion, noting that what happened was unexpected.

The US embassy has also begun procedures to transfer the victim's body to the United States, amid official follow-up on the incident.