A safari trip turned tragic for a group of tourists last Friday morning, May 30, when Bernd Kebbel, a 59-year-old German businessman and philanthropist, was fatally attacked by a lioness while camping near the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in Namibia’s remote Sesfontein area.Kebbel, the former owner of the Offroad Centre – a company known for specializing in equipment for offroad vehicles – was on a wilderness expedition with his wife and friends along the Hoanib River, a region known for its rugged beauty and desert-adapted lions.
According to Ndeshipanda Hamunyela, spokesperson for Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, the attack occurred early in the morning as Kebbel stepped out of his tent to use the toilet.“The victim had stepped out of his tent to use the toilet on Friday morning, May 30, when he was attacked by the lioness,” Hamunyela told local outlet Informanté. The group reportedly acted swiftly, managing to scare the lioness away, but Kebbel had already suffered fatal injuries and succumbed to them at the scene.
Authorities were dispatched to the remote campsite, and police confirmed that a full report would be submitted following an investigation. The lioness responsible for the attack was later located and euthanised on Sunday, June 1. Officials stated that the decision was taken due to the continued threat the animal posed to both tourists and surrounding communities.The area where the incident occurred is home to a rare population of desert-adapted lions, known for their resilience in the harsh Namibian environment. As of 2023, conservation groups estimated that around 60 adult lions and more than a dozen cubs roamed the region. However, their numbers have recently declined due to prolonged drought, reduced prey availability, and increasing human-wildlife conflict. The tragedy has raised renewed concerns about tourist safety in remote wildlife zones and the delicate balance between conservation and human presence in such habitats.