Tourist hit by wild elephant

By Kanchana Kumara  
A Canadian tourist couple on a visit to Sigiriya came under attack by a wild elephant on their way to the summit of the Sigiriya rock to watch the sunrise in the early hours of last morning. The 36 year old woman received serious injuries in the attack.   
They were walking through the sanctuary when the wild elephant hit the female tourist.   
However, a tourist guide who heard their cries rushed to the scene, scared away the elephant and saved the tourist. He had then rushed the couple on motorcycle to Dambulla base hospital. However her husband was not hurt in the incident.  

 Manager of the Sigiriya Project Gamini Karunaratne said the Wildlife Conservation Department had issued instructions to the tourist hotel managements and those engaging in tourism on providing protection to the tourists. He pointed out that the tourists have been adviced to use one access road to Sigiriya rock but they are in the habit of using different jungle tracks to reach the summit to watch the sunrise.  
Meanwhile a spokesman for the hospital said the injured tourist was in critical condition.   
Sigiriya police are investigating the incident.