I saw this story in the Sydney morning Herald, orginated with Associated press, no sign of it in your archives. Sounds like an open and shut case, up there with the woman who ignored the "beware of crocodiles" sign...

http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/03/01/1109546872180.html

An Australian tourist was killed by a hippopotamus at a popular resort in central Kenya, police said.

Simon Kiragu, the regional police chief, identified the victim as 50-year-old Vicky Elizabeth Bartlett.

She was with a group of 12 tourists at Lake Naivasha on Monday night when the hippo attacked, Kiragu said.

"The hippo attacked the woman, flipping her into the air before tossing her on the ground and trampling her," he said.

She was rushed to a nearby hospital, but died while undergoing treatment, he said.

No one else was injured in the attack.

The attack took place at Fisherman's Camp, a popular lakeside campground, where signs warn tourists to beware of hippos after dark.

John Mwangi, the group's tour guide, said the woman had seen a hippo the night before and was going to look for one again without telling him. The group was en route to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

Officials from the Australian High Commission were in Naivasha, 90 kilometres northwest of Nairobi, to investigate the incident.

Hippos kill more people every year in Africa than any other wild animal. They come on shore at night to graze and will attack anything that comes between them and the water, where they feel safe.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday night said Ms Bartlett was from Melbourne.

She was part of a tour group that included several other Australians, a department spokeswoman said.

Ms Bartlett died as a result of injuries inflicted by the hippopotamus, she said.

The Australian embassy in Nairobi was offering consular assistance to the woman's family.

The spokeswoman would not say when Ms Bartlett's body would be returned to Australia.

© 2005 AP

Submitted on 03/07/2005

Submitted by: Peter Bradstock
Reference: Sydney Morning Herald 1/3/05

Copyright © 2005 DarwinAwards.com

Daniel said:
Maybe Toss: Lacks Excellence
Sorry, we just don't have room for every tourist who wanders from thier group.

Charles said:
Neutral: Darwin Award
She was warned about hippos, but... somehow, this doesn't have the feel of a true Darwin contender. Maybe it's not funny enough...

Jack said:
Maybe Toss: Lacks Excellence
Without further information, I'm going to call the woman just another victim of the Wild Kingdom, Disney syndrome: wild animals are our Friends! They are sweet, cuddly and wouldn't hurt us!

Kelly said:
Neutral: Not Amusing
definately not funny.

Tracy said:
Neutral: Darwin Award
Needs re-writing to add humour - but is it just another stoopid tourist story?

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