Terrified tourists in Sri Lanka had to run for their lives when an elephant destroyed their car after one of them attempted to ‘offer it food’.
The three-tonne animal attacked the Russian tourists, who were on a safari observing wild animals, and left them shouting for help.
The beast viciously rocked their Suzuki Every Wagon in an apparent attempt to tip it over, with two wheels coming off the ground as the family filmed themselves fleeing.
The elephant used its trunk to then tear off the door of the micro-van, seeking more fruit from inside the vehicle after one of the tourists inside the vehicle offered it food.
Two terror-stricken family members fled the Suzuki from the other side, fearing for their lives before the elephant retreated as another tourist vehicle approached the commotion and sounded its horn.
A warning shot was also heard being fired in an attempt to ward off the huge animal.
Among those fleeing was a boy aged 11, who had to escape without his shoes.
Shaken tourist Liliya Mikhailovskaya, from Kazan in southwest Russia, said after the incident: ‘We almost lost our lives.
A three-tonne elephant in Sri Lanka is seen approaching the family inside the Suzuki
It then proceeds to rip the door off the vehicle with its trunk, in search of more food after it was offered some by one tourist
Lilya Mikhailovsky (pictured) was enjoying a family holiday when they were left fearing for their lives
Lilya said: ‘We almost lost our lives…Just a couple of minutes earlier I was recording a video, completely unaware that a sweet feeding moment would turn into such chaos’
‘[We were] driving up to an elephant, a wild elephant. We will never forget this trip to Sri Lanka.
‘Just a couple of minutes earlier I was recording a video, completely unaware that a sweet feeding moment would turn into such chaos.
‘Now that’s another phobia added to the collection!’
She added: ‘Our son ran barefoot along the road, and the car was left without a door.
‘[An elephant] can trample you at any moment. We certainly did not expect an ending like this!’
Liliya, 43, was with her husband Maxim Mikhailovsky, 42, their son, and another traveller.
‘It was so scary, the child got petrified,’ she said.
Miraculously, no one was injured in the incident. In the chaos afterwards, the family said: ‘The phone is smashed to pieces, thank God there’s protective glass.
‘We’ll drive without a door.’
The shocked party heard the sound of a gunshot and said: ‘Oh, now they’re scaring the elephant! This is just total ****ing madness.’
The group had clearly been put off sight seeing for the rest of the day, with one saying: ‘We don’t want to watch [the elephants] anymore!
‘Thank you, Lord, we’re alive! Today we will go instead to the main temple.’
Despite the damage to the rented Suzuki, they were able to drive away afterwards – without the ripped-off door however.
Liliya said: ‘Thank God, everything worked out, but we’re all in such shock, we’re driving on now…
‘We’re reliving it all and never cease to thank the Almighty.’
