Elephant kills trainer in Thailand

An elephant killed his trainer in Thailand and ran into the jungle with two tourists still on its back.

Local television said the bull elephant was on a routine tour in the resort province of Phang Nga, 500 kilometres south of Bangkok, when the accident happened on Sunday.

The elephant was in heat and went wild, trampling its mahout to death before running into the jungle with two Russian tourists still on its back.

Officials later found the elephant three kilometres away with the two stranded tourists clinging on.

Eventually the tourists were able to climb down after the elephant was shot with tranquilliser darts.

"Bull elephants in musth are very dangerous and they shouldn't be part of these attractions," said Edwin Wieks, founder of the Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand.

Wieks said tourists get on elephants at their own risk as lax enforcement meant resorts were rarely punished for accidents.