A New Jersey man whose wife was killed by a hippo during an African safari has filed a lawsuit alleging that the tour operator was negligent in failing to keep her safe.
Craig Manders says in the lawsuit he witnessed the horrifying death of his wife, Lisa, 70, who was killed in Zambia last year on a safari hosted by the Connecticut company, Africa Portfolio.
“If I had understood the dangers posed by the hippo, I would not have agreed to such close contact on foot,” Manders said in a statement released by lawyers Paul Slager and Nicole Coates. I stated.
“The idea that we were unconsciously exposed to such extreme dangers was further exacerbated by the tour guide, and the danger remains on foot between Lisa and such deadly animals. It’s nothing but surprising to see him there.”
Rod Gould, an African portfolio lawyer, described the case as a terrible but “really unusual” tragedy. He said the company arranges tours and works with Africa’s most reputable Safari Lodges, but is not responsible for what’s going on during the trip.
“My client is a tour operator. I’ll be holding tours,” Gould said. “For example, travel may include airfares. If the airline loses its luggage, we are not responsible.”
In a lawsuit filed in Stanford Superior Court, Manders says he and his wife left the US on May 31, 2024 for a 10-day safari in Zambia, a South African country.
Five days later, the couple went on a “bushwalk” with their guide, Suit says, leading them to the riverbank where the lonely hippo was resting in the water. Known for being violent, territorial and aggressive, the hippo is one of the most dangerous animals on the planet.
Its size – Adult men usually weigh more than 3,000 pounds, and hippos can run faster over short distances and reach speeds of over 20 mph.
The guide states that “the known hippo’s tendency to be highly unpredictable, territorial and aggressive under these circumstances makes the close presence of wild hippos to bushwalk participants an immediate and extreme risk. He knew what it had brought, or should have known,” the lawsuit says.
However, the guide, which includes at least one armed with a rifle, leaves the area and leaves Mander and others in the group to observe the hippo without protection.
Without warning, the hippo lifted her head and, according to the lawsuit, rushed out of the water towards Lisa Manders. The giant animal caught up with Mander and attacked her, Suit says.
“Lisa Manders tried to escape, but she tried to escape, and the hippo attacked her hard, grabbing her with her mouth, lifting her off the ground, shaking her entire body, biting her head and body and crushing her. “say.
Lisa Manders died soon after being “devastatingly injured,” according to the lawsuit.
Manders, a mother of three from Cranford, worked in the financial industry for over 40 years. “Lisa was the best mother and wife that anyone could expect,” her husband said. “Her violent death is a catastrophic loss not only for our family but for our community.”
The lawsuit does not locate the Zambian attack, but in a local news report grieves the death of an American tourist killed in downstream Zambezi National Park on June 5, 2024, the country said The Minister of Tourism was quoted.
According to the Christian voice on the radio, Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba said the government’s “thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the deceased,” Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba said.
Craig Manders’ lawyers described the case as a terrible tragedy that was “completely preventable.”
“Interactions with the wilderness with nature can be an incredibly rich experience,” said Slager of Slager Madry LLC. “However, wilderness guides and tour operators like African portfolios ensure basic safety precautions to ensure that customers visiting African wilderness are not unnecessarily exposed to extreme risks. I’m responsible for that.”
