Lion jumps into car, mauls tourist to death

An American woman has been killed and a man is in a critical condition after a lion jumped through their car window and mauled them at one of South Africa’s top tourist attractions.

The pair were driving around the Lion Park in Johannesburg with their windows open when the lion attacked. Although park staff tried to save them, they arrived too late for the woman, who was in the passenger seat. The driver was injured as he tried to get the lion off her.

‘‘Staff working up at the top of the camp tried to pull the lion away but it was too late,’’ Scott Simpson, the assistant operations manager at Lion Park, said. ‘‘We don’t know exactly what happened, we do know that there was a car driving to the lion camp and the lion did come through the window and it did bite the lady. The ambulance arrived quite soon but unfortunately the lady has passed away.’’

The woman’s identity had not been confirmed yesterday, but she is believed to have been in her 40s.

The park, a cross between a zoo and a small safari park on the outskirts of Johannesburg, is best known for its cubs, which visitors are allowed to stroke and play with. It also offers guided walks with lions and cheetahs, and among its 85 lions is a pride of rare white lions that starred in the 2010 film White Lion.

The park’s website says: ‘‘Nowhere can you get closer to a pride of lions and other animals and still be completely safe.’’

Simpson pointed out that there are several notices warning tourists to keep their windows closed.