Man watched as wife was brutally killed by hippo on safari as lawsuit filed

A devastated husband watched on as his wife was killed by a hippo while the two were on an African safari in Zambia.

The American woman hailed from New Jersey and was attacked by the animal last year, dying moments later, according to a lawsuit.

Lisa Manders was 70 at the time of her death.

Her husband, Craig, is now suing the safari tour company, alleging that the tour operator should have kept her safe, despite the gruesome outcome.

She was mauled by a hippo (Getty Stock Photo)

Speaking to NBC News via a statement from his attorneys, the husband explained: "Had we understood the dangers posed by the hippopotamus, we never would have agreed to be in such close contact while on foot.

"The idea that we were unwittingly exposed to such an extreme danger, a danger made even worse by our tour guides leaving Lisa alone on foot with nothing between her and such a deadly animal, is nothing short of astonishing."

After leaving the US on 31 May 2024, the mother-of-three and her husband travelled to Zambia for a ten-day safari. The lawsuit stated that the former was attacked just five days into the holiday.

They were on a 'bush walk', and the suit claims that the tour guide 'knew or should have known' how close wild hippopotamuses were, and should have made it clear to those on the walk 'due to the known tendencies' of the creatures.

They described the animals as 'highly unpredictable, territorial, and aggressive'.

The guides had allegedly left the area, with at least one of them armed with a rifle, and this is when disaster struck.

A hippo charged out of a body of water nearby towards Lisa, who tried to run away, as the suit added: "She was unable to escape and the hippopotamus violently attacked her, grabbing her by its mouth, lifting her off the ground, shaking her entire body, and crushing her head and body with its bite."

She was brutally killed during a 'bush walk' (Craig Manders)

The tour was organised by safari company African Portfolio, a company that has its headquarters in Connecticut.

The company's lawyer, Rod Gould, has described the tragedy as 'really unusual', and claimed that the company is only responsible for organising the tours, and not any mishaps that can take place on the trips.

"We're not responsible if the airline loses luggage," the lawyer stated.

The suit further adds that the couple were not aware that going near the bank would put them in danger, further adding that they were 'negligently encouraged' to stand on the bank for some photos of the wildlife.

One of Craig's lawyers, Slager of Slager Madry LLC, explained that being in the wilderness 'can be an incredibly rich experience', but highlighted that the 'responsibility' to ensure the safety of visitors is up to tour operators.

Craig stated: "Her violent death is a devastating loss not only for our family, but for our community."

Lisa is survived by husband Craig and her three children, as well as her brother Paul and granddaughter Lulu.

In a statement to LADbible, African Portfolio said: "African Portfolio, specialists in safaris across Africa for over 30 years, can confirm that a tragic event occurred on the morning of June 5th, 2024, in the Lower Zambezi National Park, whilst our clients were staying at Chiawa Lodge, a highly regarded luxury safari lodge in Zambia, who we have worked with for many years.

"The incident occurred on a walking safari arranged by Chiawa Lodge. Chiawa reported that the guests were accompanied by a highly trained and experienced professional guide, a ranger and an armed National Park scout. During the safari, a hippo unexpectedly charged, killing one of the guests. Chiawa Lodge confirmed to both the Police, and Department of National Parks & Wildlife investigations at the time, that all safety measures had been implemented both before and during the incident, and repeated verbal warnings for the guests to return to the safety of the vehicle were issued during the incident.

"Immediately afterwards, African Portfolio’s founder flew to Zambia to provide assistance, along with the owner of Chiawa Lodge, to ensure that everything possible was being done to support the family and all those involved.

"Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the family, and everyone else involved in this tragic incident," they concluded.