Michael Juergen, a 77-year-old German national, lost his life after being attacked by a wild elephant while riding a rented motorcycle on a forest road in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve in southern India on Tuesday evening, according to ETV Bharat. The incident occurred around 6:30 PM when Juergen encountered a bull elephant blocking the roadway, Deccan Herald reported.
Despite warnings from fellow motorists who had halted their vehicles at a safe distance, Juergen continued to drive toward the wild elephant, leading to the fatal encounter. Eyewitnesses said he ignored warnings and slowly approached the elephant with his motorcycle, according to Bild.
A video of the incident has gone viral, showing the elephant attacking the tourist with a powerful thrust, seriously injuring him. After the initial attack, Juergen lay on the ground dazed. He then got up and tried to pick up his motorcycle, but the elephant attacked him again, driving its tusk into his back and throwing him into the air, leading to severe injuries, according to Focus Online.
"He died on the way to the hospital after the elephant attacked him," said Uma, a police officer. Juergen was transferred to the District Headquarters Hospital in Pollachi, where he succumbed to his injuries at 8:10 PM, as reported by 20 Minuten. He was riding a rented Bullet Classic 350 motorcycle with a Delhi registration when he encountered the elephant blocking a section of the road, Bild noted.
Authorities are urging motorists to exercise extreme caution in areas known for frequent wildlife crossings. "The tourist's decision to ignore warnings and attempt to cross the road despite the presence of the elephant led to the fatal accident," stated a forest official, according to Le Figaro.
After bystanders succeeded in driving the elephant away with noise, forest guards quickly intervened, bursting crackers to drive the animal away, allowing the drivers to assist the injured man. The tourist was taken to a hospital at the nearest tea plantation with serious injuries and given first aid. He was then shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Pollachi by a state-run ambulance service, where he did not respond to treatment and succumbed to his severe injuries at 8:10 PM, according to Bild.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq