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The victims, Claudio Chiarelli, 65 and his son Max, 28, had been members of the volunteer anti-poaching organisation Zambezi Society and had been conducting patrols in Mana Pools National Park, northern Zimbabwe, during the weekend.

The Telegraph reports the two men had been with a group sent out as relief for a team of rangers who had earlier been deployed to follow track suspect elephant poachers when the accident occured.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority confirms the incident, revealing that the rangers had been alarmed by movements in the trees and the sound of voices.

They had opened fire in the general direction of the sounds, killing the father and son.

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An investigation has reportedly been launched by the authorities fully examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.