The key facts
- The attack occurred on the evening of November 5 on the road from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park
- The tourist's husband died at the scene; the woman suffered an injury to her left eye
- The Russian Embassy is providing consular assistance, the investigation continues, and no arrests have been made
Diplomats are helping the Russian woman who survived
The consular section of the Russian Embassy in the Republic of South Africa is providing the necessary consular assistance to Yelena Nizovtseva, a Russian woman who survived an armed attack on a highway in which criminals shot dead her husband. The diplomatic mission told TASS about this, as reported by Life.ru. According to the embassy, the consular section is in contact with local law enforcement agencies, and the woman is currently staying at one of the hotels in Pretoria, where staff of the diplomatic mission remain in touch with her.
How the tragedy unfolded
The attack took place on the evening of November 5, the same day the couple arrived in South Africa. They were driving from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park. At around 22:00 local time, the car stopped in the Elandsfontein area — reportedly due to a damaged tire. When the tourists got out of the vehicle, unknown assailants approached them: they took the couple's personal belongings and opened fire on the man, who sustained fatal wounds and died at the scene. According to local police, the woman suffered an injury to her left eye.
The road-trap theory and the progress of the investigation
Earlier, Life.ru reported on the armed attack on Russian tourists on the road to Kruger National Park. According to local emergency services, the car may have run over metal spikes scattered on the road in advance by the criminals, which forced the couple to stop. However, the South African police have not yet officially confirmed this road-trap theory. The embassy expressed condolences to the relatives of the deceased and called on the South African authorities to identify all those involved in the attack. An investigation into the murder is underway, but as of the time of publication there had been no reports of suspects being detained.
