Six elephants drowned in a waterfall in Thailand after wading in to try and save on of the stranded herd.
Officials heard the elephants in distress at the Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Nayok province at around 3am this morning (October 5).
They went to check and found an elephant calf, aged around 3 years, drowned on the first tier of the waterfall. Two exhausted older elephants were spotted trying to help the calf.
National Parks Chief Khanchit Srinoppawan said officials arrived and found five more elephants drowned.
Staff used ropes to save two more elephants that were stranded in the waterfall. They were pulled out safely by 3pm local time. They were still trying to save two more elephants stuck in the water.
The waterfall, known as Haew Narok (Hell's Fall), has a history of similar incidents.
A herd of eight elephants died after falling in 1992, in a case that brought national attention.
