A Beitbridge man died after he was trampled by elephants while walking in a forest with six others.

Chief Insp Ndebele said Mr Erick Mutemachane (30) was attacked by the elephants on Wednesday last week and his body was recovered four days later.

“I can confirm that we recorded a sudden death incident where a man was trampled to death by elephants. Erick Mutemachane was walking with six others through Nottingham Forest in Beitbridge along Limpopo River when they came across a herd of elephants,” he said.

Chief Insp Ndebele said they all fled in different directions and the six others later converged at a distance but Mutemachane was not with them and they assumed that he had taken another direction while fleeing.

He said his mates reported the matter to the police four days later as Mutemachane was still missing. “Mutemachane’s body was recovered on Sunday in the forest with injuries which indicated that he had been trampled by elephants,” said Chief Insp Ndebele.