Briton torn to pieces by lions, inquest told
Teenager broke safari rule of sleeping with tent openA British man was torn to pieces by a pride of 12 lions while on safari in Zimbabwe, an inquest was told yesterday. The 19-year-old died after he broke one of the rules of the safari and slept with his tent open.
David Pleydell-Bouverie, whose father is sheriff of Hertfordshire, was attacked after one of the lions came into his tent on the shores of Lake Kariba in August last year. In a panic, he ran from the tent only to be pounced upon by another 11 lions.
Safari guides tried to scare away the lions by lighting flares, driving a Land-Rover at them and setting fire to a shirt, but they were unable to save the teenager, who had taken a job as a safari assistant during a university gap year. He was confirmed dead on arrival at Spurwing Island, Lake Kariba.
John Vick, the coroner at Hitchin, in Hertfordshire, recorded a verdict of accidental death. The inquest was told that Mr Pleydell-Bouverie fled from his tent after a lion put its head inside.
David Boyle, one of the tourists on the photographic safari, said in a statement read to the inquest: "I woke up to go to the toilet. I heard a long yell, but I didn't know if it was human or animal. The yell was long and loud and was suddenly cut off, followed by the prolonged sound of growling of animals, which I assumed was lions."
Safari guide Bradley Fouche said: "At approximately 1.30am I was woken by David calling my name. In the moonlight I saw movement and realised that for some reason David was running away from his tent. I took my handgun and my torch to try to see what was going on. David disappeared into the bush. I was unable to distinguish individual shapes. I lit flares which detonated to make a loud noise. In the light of the flare I could see David was surrounded and covered by approximately 12 lions.
"I tried to see if I could get a clear shot of the lions without hitting David. I told the tent staff to get the vehicle and drive it at the lions, to get them to disperse and for further light. It wasn't possible to get a clear shot and when the vehicle arrived I realised I could do nothing further for David."
A lioness's tooth was later found inside Mr Pleydell-Bouverie's tent, said Mr Fouche, adding that two lions which were shot after the attack were found to be the culprits.
Mr Fouche said that, after the attack, he rounded up the staff and tourists and ordered them to fetch their shoes within 30 seconds. He loaded the party into a boat and set off for Spurwing Island, where they spent the remaining days of the safari in a hotel.
Ivan Carter, owner of Ivan Carter Safaris, which organised the trip, said in a statement read to the hearing that it was the first accident of its kind he had experienced in nine years of running safaris.
His guides had strict instructions to carry weapons and radios at all times, and to brief tourists thoroughly on the dangers of wild animals.
Tourists were told to keep their tents zipped shut at night and to stay in the tent and blow a whistle which was provided if they were in danger, rather than running to fetch help. Mr Fouche said David appeared to have slept with his tent open on the night of the attack, while none of the people interviewed by Zimbabwean police remembered hearing a whistle.
Mr Pleydell-Bouverie, the grandson of the seventh earl of Radnor, went to Maidwell Hall school, Northampton, and Harrow, and stood to inherit his family's 2,000 acre estate.
His family said in a brief statement: "The family would like it to be known that they believe David's death was a tragic and freak accident and do not feel that the guide or the organisation are to blame in any way."
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