An investigation is underway into an accident in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park where a safari vehicle carrying four Swiss tourists and a guide plunged into a river in the Kogatende area during this year’s annual Great Migration.
The incident occurred on August 30 at the Kogatende Nyumbu crossing area, according to a notice issued by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA).
The vehicle belonged to Nature Responsible Safari Company. In a statement issued on August 31, the company said none of the guests or the driver suffered physical injuries. The guests subsequently continued their itinerary and travelled to Zanzibar as planned.
Nature Responsible Safari MD Fransisca Masika said the company is not yet in a position to determine what caused the accident.
“At this stage, we cannot give a concrete answer because the police still need to interview our safari guide. Once that has happened, we can issue a statement. For now, we are just very glad that our guests are safe and doing well,” Masika told Tourism Update.
“We believe that something happened but we don’t know yet exactly what. We cannot guess. With something like this, you allow the relevant people to investigate,” she said.
TANAPA said, while investigations continue to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident, drivers, visitors and safari companies operating in national parks must strictly observe park regulations and safety procedures. It also warned that negligence or failure to follow established procedures could result in serious and avoidable consequences.
