Four dead after hippopotamus attack in Kenya

Four young men have died in a hippopotamus attack at Lake Naivasha in Kenya, according to media reports.

A group of 14 men had wanted to fish illegally on Friday evening on the banks of the lake, a popular tourist attraction located about 80 kilometers from the capital Nairobi, in the Rift Valley.

Several hippos charged the group, Kenyan media reported on Saturday. Some men managed to swim to safety, while others were attacked by the animals or drowned.

According to relatives, the men sought to supplement their family income by fishing.

The hippos, which graze at night at the lake, can quickly become aggressive when they feel their territory is being violated.

Operators of tourist shelters and camps advise visitors against taking evening walks by the lake and getting between the animals and the water.