A safari in Tanzania took a terrifying turn when a vehicle carrying four Swiss tourists and a Tanzanian guide plunged into the Mara River in the Serengeti, with the dramatic incident captured on video by tourists in a nearby vehicle.
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The accident happened on Sunday, 30 August, in the Kogatende area of Serengeti National Park, during the annual Great Migration. Despite the vehicle ending up in a river known for its Nile crocodiles, all five people on board escaped safely and no physical injuries were reported. An investigation into what happened is now under way.
What happened in the Serengeti?
According to the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), the accident took place at the Kogatende Nyumbu crossing area, one of the locations along the Mara River associated with the famous wildebeest migration crossings.
The safari vehicle belonged to Nature Responsible Safari Company and was carrying four Swiss tourists and its Tanzanian guide. According to Tourism Update, the company said on 31 August that none of the passengers or the driver suffered physical injuries following the accident. The tourists later continued with their itinerary and travelled to Zanzibar as planned.
Footage of the incident, filmed from another safari vehicle, has since circulated widely online. The video shows the safari vehicle travelling along the riverbank before it appears to lose control and head towards the water. A woman can be seen falling or getting out of the vehicle as it moves towards the river, while people watching from the nearby vehicle react to the unfolding scene.
The footage is particularly unnerving because of what lies in the water below.
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The Mara River is no ordinary river
The Mara River is one of the most famous waterways associated with the Great Migration. Every year, huge numbers of wildebeest and zebra move through the Serengeti and cross the river as part of their journey between Tanzania and Kenya.
The crossings are spectacular but also notoriously dangerous. Animals must contend with steep riverbanks, strong currents and Nile crocodiles waiting in the water.
For safari-goers, meanwhile, the riverbanks can become busy during peak crossing season as vehicles gather to watch the action.
TANAPA has established designated crossing points and specific guidelines for vehicles operating around the Mara River. Its published guidelines include limits on the number of vehicles at different crossing points as well as minimum distances vehicles should maintain from the riverbank.
That makes the incident a sobering reminder that getting a front-row seat to a wildlife spectacle should never come at the expense of safety.
Why did the safari vehicle crash?
This is the part that remains unclear.
Some reports and social media posts have claimed that the driver was attempting to get a better position to watch a wildebeest crossing. However, these claims have not been established as fact.
Fransisca Masika, managing director of Nature Responsible Safari Company, told Tourism Update that the company could not yet determine what caused the accident because the safari guide still needed to be interviewed by police.
“At this stage, we cannot give a concrete answer,” Masika told the publication, adding that the company did not want to speculate while the investigation was under way.
TANAPA has likewise said an investigation is continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The authority has reminded safari drivers, visitors and tour operators operating in Tanzania’s national parks to strictly follow park regulations and safety procedures. It warned that negligence or failure to follow established procedures could have serious and avoidable consequences.
Thankfully, everyone survived
For all the drama captured in the video, the outcome could have been considerably worse.
The four Swiss tourists and their Tanzanian driver managed to escape from the vehicle and were brought to safety. Nature Responsible Safari said no physical injuries were reported, and the tourists were able to continue their holiday.
The incident nevertheless highlights the risks involved in viewing wildlife in a setting where the animals – and the environment around them – are very much in charge.
A river crossing might make for an unforgettable safari photograph, but the safest safari is always one where the humans remain firmly in the vehicle, at a safe distance and within the rules.
The investigation into the Serengeti safari vehicle accident is ongoing.
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