A British couple and their two young children were forced to spend four days surrounded by wild animals in a Kenyan safari park after their vehicle got stuck when they went off their planned route.
Chris and Sophie Hodder and their two young children were finally located at 9.30am local time in Kenya this morning following an extensive search operation involving aircraft combing the bush.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) says the tourists were finally located by a conservation helicopter pilot who spotted their stranded Toyota Hilux at a remote spot inside Tsavo East National Park, 31 miles north of their planned route.
Their vehicle, which is fitted with a canopy and roof tent, is believed to have become stuck in the mud after veering off a dirt track following two weeks of heavy rain in an area that is home to almost 700 lions.
Predators including leopards, cheetahs, jackals and hyenas roam the same semi-arid plains and fears were raised when the family’s abandoned camping gear was found on Monday night.
Rangers said that the decision to stay inside their vehicle was key to the Brits’ survival and they are said to be in good health.
In an exclusive interview, one game driver operating in the area said: ‘They were very lucky to be found as they had diverted from the main travel route. The area they were discovered in is very remote and not normally frequented by tourists.’
The rescue operation included two fixed wing aircraft and one helicopter working alongside two Land Cruisers.
Chris and Sophie Hodder and their two young children (pictured) were finally located at 9.30am local time in Kenya this morning following an extensive search operation involving aircraft combing the bush
Their vehicle, which is fitted with a canopy and roof tent, (pictured) is believed to have become stuck in the mud after veering off a dirt track following two weeks of heavy rain
In a statement, a spokesperson for the KWS said: ‘In a dramatic turn of events this morning, Tsavo Trust pilot Nick Haller spotted the family – a couple and their two children – near Kabaguchi Ranger Camp on the remote Yatta Plateau, approximately 50 kilometres north of their planned route.
‘Haller immediately landed his helicopter and confirmed that all four individuals were unharmed and in good health.
‘Ground teams from KWS and Tsavo Trust are currently facilitating their safe extraction.
‘The family had entered the park on Saturday, 5 April at 5:40 PM through Manyani Gate, intending to camp for two nights at Luggards Falls Special Campsite and exit via Sala Gate by Monday evening.
‘When they failed to check out by the 8:00 PM deadline, park authorities launched an immediate search operation.’
Photos of the smiling family were posted by concerned friends on Kenyan social media groups earlier today and were also published by the local media.
Chris Hodder’s open Facebook page states he is from Cambridge but lives in Nairobi where he works as Save the Children’s Regional Health Advisor for West and Central Africa.
His wife’s Linkedin page shows she is a health care worker who previously with the NHS but who now works to build ‘sustainable models for healthcare’ in Africa.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) says the tourists were finally located by a conservation helicopter pilot who spotted their stranded Toyota Hilux at a remote spot inside Tsavo East National Park
The family had entered the park on Saturday, 5 April at 5:40 PM through Manyani Gate, intending to camp for two nights at Luggards Falls Special Campsite and exit via Sala Gate by Monday evening (File image of Tsavo National Park)
The couple’s social media accounts show they have two daughters and are experienced campers and safari enthusiasts.
In an Instagram post in 2023, Mr. Hodder wrote of Kenya: ‘what an amazing country this is! Camping 2 nights @3500m freezing cold, 2 nights cedars lodge, 2 nights mt Kenya! No cell phone coverage and just family time. So needed x.’
It is not clear why the family did not immediately call for help when they got lost over the weekend although a lack of mobile phone coverage is the most likely explanation.
Roughly 180 miles southeast of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, the Tsavo East National Park is 5,308 square miles and home to around 675 lions.
It offers an excellent vantage point for tourists to observe the hundreds of elephants and other wildlife that come to drink during the dry season and it is also home to a black rhino sanctuary.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .