The circus truck was overtaking a slow vehicle on the highway near Pozo Canada in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha when it suddenly overturned, said a spokeswoman for the DGT, the government department that oversees Spain's road network.
The highway closed to traffic for around two hours as authorities sent cranes to lift the injured elephants onto other vehicles and move them from the road.
Se restablece la circulacin en la A-30, pk 22. Felicidades a la Jefa de Trfico de Albacete, Agrupacin de Trfico de la @guardiacivil, Bomberos y empresas colaboradoras por la eficacia y rapidez en la apertura de la autova. pic.twitter.com/KxvgFnVM7O
— Gregorio Serrano (@Gserrano_DGT) April 2, 2018
One video showed an elephant being lifted as firefighters stabilised it by holding its big feet, one of which appeared to be wrapped in a bandage.
Se est procediendo a la asistencia y evacuacin de los elefantes heridos en el accidente que ha tenido lugar en Albacete. De los cinco paquidermos hay uno muerto y dos heridos. En breve de restablecer la circulacin en la A-30 en el pk 22/23. pic.twitter.com/fhGypNDYGm
— Gregorio Serrano (@Gserrano_DGT) April 2, 2018
There were five elephants in the truck and another video showed the two uninjured elephants being led away from the scene.
A-30 cortada por cada de camin con elefantes sueltos en la calzada. Cortada autova direccin Murcia a la altura de pozo Caada. pic.twitter.com/z0tPg6KDZo
— PolicaLocalAlbacete (@PoliciaAlbacete) April 2, 2018
Photos of the accident showed the truck lying on its side across the highway, with some of the elephants standing nearby.
Segn las investigaciones preliminares, el accidente del camin cargado de elefantes se ha producido al adelantar éste a un vehculo de transporte especial y al incorporarse en el carril derecho se ha producido el vuelco. Atestados de la ATGC de Albacete investiga el accidente. pic.twitter.com/Np0jbX0qQl
— Gregorio Serrano (@Gserrano_DGT) April 2, 2018
Hace unos das eran los guardias civiles del #SEPRONA los que pastoreaban a un hipoptamo perdido...hoy los compaeros de #Trfico #Albacete atendiendo a unos #elefantes accidentados en Pozo Caada (desgraciadamente uno de los paquidermos muri)#SiEsQueValenPaT pic.twitter.com/AFdxhATULi
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) April 2, 2018
Later, the Pozo Canada council posted a short video of the four surviving elephants in a compound.
Tras el #accidentes de esta tarde en la A30 en #PozoCaada y restablecido el trfico, los 4 elefantes estarn cuidados en nuestro pueblo hasta que sean trasladados en los prximos das pic.twitter.com/l77sYywpWL
— Ayto Pozo Caada (@Ayto_PozoCanada) April 2, 2018
In a tweet, the council said that the pachyderms were being looked after by the local authority until they could be transferred.
Spain's animal rights political party PACMA tweeted that the four-legged creatures belonged to the Gottani Circus and called for the end of animal uses in circuses.
"The lorry that has overturned was carrying Circo Gottani elephants. Show them more kindness. We treat animals like slaves. Enough of circuses that use animals," Silvia Barquero, the president PACMA, tweeted.
(With inputs from AFP)
