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Three URA Staff Killed After Vehicle Hits Elephant in Murchison Falls National Park

Authorities warned that rising animal crossings increase nighttime danger on park roads; investigations and postmortems are under way.

Overview

  • A Toyota Hiace carrying seven Uganda Revenue Authority officials struck a crossing elephant inside Murchison Falls National Park, killing three people and injuring four others.
  • Police said the injured were taken to Kiryandongo Hospital and later transferred to Kampala for further treatment while the bodies were conveyed to Anaka Hospital Mortuary pending postmortems.
  • Photographs released by the Uganda Police Force show the white Hiace with heavy damage and its nose in a roadside ditch at the crash site.
  • Both the Uganda Police Force and the Ugandan Wildlife Authority urged motorists to obey speed limits and avoid night driving through protected areas because large animals frequently cross the roads.
  • Officials and reporting note that collisions between vehicles and wildlife are rising as settlements and road use expand near protected habitats, creating growing risks for people and animals.