KEY POINTS:
A person has died after being crushed by a circus elephant at Yamba on the New South Whales north coast, police said.
The Stardust Circus, with elephants Arna and Gigi among the star attractions, was due to begin its Yamba performances tonight.
It had been setting up at the Angourie Road Sports Reserve when the accident occurred yesterday afternoon.
"It appears an elephant in being unloaded in preparation for a circus at Yamba this afternoon has fallen on a person, believed to be a man," a police spokeswoman told AAP.
An ambulance spokesman said the person was crushed by the elephant and suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at the scene.
Early reports suggested the victim was one of the elephant's handlers.
Police said the industrial workplace accident body WorkCover had been called in to investigate the incident.
- AAP
