A man is suing a U.S. company after his wife was killed in a fatal hippopotamus attack last year.
According to the lawsuit, the company that arranged the couple’s safari trip in Africa failed to ensure their safety and did not properly screen or supervise the tour guides.
Lisa and Craig Manders were on a guided safari walk in Zambia last summer when a hippo suddenly emerged from the water and fatally attacked Lisa, crushing her head and body with its mouth.
The lawsuit, filed on February 5, alleges that the tour guides—at least one of whom was armed—did not intervene to help the couple and instead walked away. Lisa, 70, suffered severe injuries and died shortly afterwards.
Paul Slager, Craig’s attorney, stated that “this incident should never have happened” and that it was entirely preventable had the company followed basic safety standards in the safari industry.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages as well as accountability for Lisa’s death. Slager also noted that Craig will not be giving any interviews.
Craig and Lisa, residents of Cranford, New Jersey, were celebrating their anniversary when the tragedy occurred. It was their first trip to Africa.
Lisa had worked in the financial industry for over four decades and had a passion for traveling, cooking, and visiting New York City, where she was born. The couple had three children and one grandchild.
The lawyer representing the safari tour company denied any recklessness or negligence, arguing that the company—African Portfolio—was only responsible for arranging the couple’s lodging. He stated that Chiawa Safaris, a separate entity based in Zambia, was responsible for the actual tours.
While acknowledging the incident as “a horrible tragedy,” the defense maintained that African Portfolio is simply a tour operator and has no direct involvement with the guides.
The company also stated that it was not negligent in selecting Chiawa Safaris, which had an excellent reputation. Their lawyer said they would ask the judge to either dismiss the case or send it to arbitration, as stated in the couple’s travel agreement.
In a statement, the safari tour company did not directly address the lawsuit but asserted that Chiawa Safaris was responsible for arranging the walking safari. They added that guests were accompanied by a highly experienced tour guide, an armed National Park scout, and a ranger.
According to the company, Chiawa informed authorities that safety measures had been implemented before the attack and that guests had been repeatedly warned to return to the vehicle prior to the incident.
The safari tour company stated that its founder flew to Zambia immediately after the attack and collaborated with Chiawa’s owner to ensure the family received full support.
