2 days ago
Elephant attack in North West: Injured tourist told ‘it was safe'
Lionel Budieu, the French tourist trampled by a female elephant on Sunday, has rejected claims about how the incident unfolded at Impodimo Game Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve in North West.
In an exclusive telephonic interview with Caxton Network News, from his Johannesburg hospital bed, Budieu said he did not ignore alleged warnings given by a tour guide, contrary to a statement by Thomas Matlapeng of the North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism.
Family holiday turns into a nightmare
Budieu, from Nice in the south of France, explained that he, his wife and their eight-year-old daughter visited the lodge at the start of their South African holiday.
It is his second visit to the country. 'I do not know where they get this information,' he said, adding that various animals freely graze around the lodge due to a nearby dam. 'It is marvellous and very beautiful, that is why it has a good reputation.'
Budieu said 'there is no fence'. 'So, sometimes from our balcony, we can see the elephants come in.'
He said the main building has a restaurant, bar and offices, and bungalows are accessible via pathways from the building. 'We are not allowed to go off these pathways into the bush.'
Moments before the attack
After a morning safari that started at 06:00, the family returned to the main building at about 10:00.
They planned to go for brunch, but first wanted to drop off their belongings at their bungalow.
'My daughter was ahead of me and she saw a huge elephant trumpeting,' Budieu recalled, imitating the sound. 'There was a huge herd of elephants at this time.' Some elephants were on the pathway, about 5m from his daughter. Budieu said they had been instructed by lodge staff to stay calm, not run away, and walk backwards quietly – advice, he said, they followed. 'I asked the elephants if they could go away, without moving, because this is what we were told to do. This worked well as the elephants walked in the other direction, but they were still on the pathway.'
Guide's assurance
Budieu said a guide then approached and told him it was safe to return to the bungalow.
'My wife asked the guide: 'Are you sure? We are not in a hurry. Maybe we can get a coffee to make sure the whole herd has left? We do not want to take any risk'.'
Budieu said the guide replied, saying: 'No, no, it's okay, I know this place and the behaviour of the elephants, you can go, they have left.'
However, as they walked, they encountered elephants on the pathway again. 'I told my wife and my daughter to go away. The guide hid herself near a bungalow and told me 'run away!', but she was already too late.' An elephant's trunk grazed his arm before they charged. 'I walked back, but fell over a root and onto a tree. It felt like an eternity for me being stomped on, but maybe it was only two or three minutes, I don't know.'
Severe injuries and slow rescue
Budieu's injuries included a hole in his right arm, a broken leg and difficulty breathing. 'I was sure I was going to die,' he said.
A lodge staff member applied pressure to his arm to stem the bleeding. 'We waited two hours before the medic from the reserve came… then they called the [helicopter].' He said there was further delay as he was first required to prove he had medical aid before being airlifted.
'Completely rubbish'
Budieu said his wife later showed him articles quoting the department's claim that he ignored warnings and was taking photos. 'It is completely rubbish.'
Doctors told him they had to rebuild his arm because muscles had been severed. 'The hole is 1mm away from the central nerve – if it were closer, I would have lost my arm.'
He now awaits repatriation to France, and hopes this will happen tomorrow or Sunday. Budieu said the lodge and reserve have been kind, helping his wife and daughter travel to Johannesburg to visit him. 'They gave a stuffed toy to my daughter… and the owner, with a guide from the lodge, came to visit me.'
Lodge responds
Impodimo Game Lodge MD Steve Tucker confirmed Budieu was injured by an elephant.
'We did everything we could and everything that was correct. We evacuated him and saved his life essentially. Without our intervention, he would not have survived.' Tucker said he could not comment on the guide's actions or the allegations against her.
Although Matlapeng was approached for comment by Caxton Network News, no comment had been received at the time of publishing.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
Read original story on
