Woman killed by lion while driving in S Africa wildlife park

A 22-year-old American woman was dragged from a car and killed by a lion while driving through a wildlife park near Johannesburg, South African police have said.

The woman's male companion was injured in the attack on Monday at the Lion Park reserve, said Col Lungelo Dlamini, a spokesman for the police.

Lions are kept in small enclosures in the reserve, north of Johannesburg, Col Dlamini added.

The couple were driving through one of the park’s lion camps with their car windows open at the time, he said.

Earlier this year, an Australian man was attacked by a lion at the same park and a South African was attacked by a cheetah, according to Netwerk24, a news website.

A spokesman for the Lion Park did not immediately return a call requesting comment.

The attraction, which allows tourists to drive their own vehicles through fenced-off camps containing lions and other predators, says it's the top tourist destination in Gauteng, the South African province that includes Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The park offers close-up views of lions in a safe environment, according to its website.

Bloomberg