Theunis Botha, a South African safari leader and big game hunter was crushed to death Friday afternoon when an elephant was shot and fell and on top of him.
The 51 year old was hunting with a group in Gwai, Zimbabwe, when they came across a breeding herd of elephants.
They quickly began to shoot, according to News 24, spooking the animals and causing the elephants to charge at the hunters. One of the elephants is then said to have picked up Botha with its trunk.
A member of his group shot the elephant, hoping it would put Botha down. Instead, the wounded and dying animal fell on top of him, crushing him to death.
Botha is survived by his wife Carika and their five children, all who live in Tzaneen, South Africa.
Carika is expected to make the trip to Zimbabwe in the next few days to identify her husband’s body and then bring him home for burial.
