An award-winning filmmaker was killed in a freak safari tragedy after a towering giraffe suddenly swung its neck and struck him in the head with devastating force.

Carlos Carvalho, 47, was filming at a wildlife lodge in South Africa when the horrifying accident unfolded on May 2, 2018.

Witnesses said Carvalho was looking through his camera when Gerald, a large bull giraffe, suddenly swung his neck and slammed into the filmmaker’s head.

The impact reportedly sent Carvalho flying through the air before he crashed to the ground.

“It came out of nowhere and Carlos didn’t even see it coming,” crew member Drikus Van Der Merwe later recalled.

Carvalho suffered severe head injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in Johannesburg, but doctors were unable to save him. He died later that evening.

The deadly incident happened at Glen Afric Country Lodge in Broederstroom, a safari retreat that became well known after appearing in the British television series Wild at Heart.

Van Der Merwe said the giraffe had initially appeared curious rather than aggressive.

“The giraffe started chasing the boom swinger who joined our unit,” he said. “We didn’t feel threatened because he just seemed to be inquisitive.”

The crew continued filming close-up shots of the animal’s body and feet.

Then everything changed in an instant.

“While Carlos was looking through the camera eyepiece, Gerald swung his neck and hit him against his head,” Van Der Merwe said.

He immediately realized Carvalho was badly hurt.

“I knew he had a severe head trauma,” he said. “But I never thought he would die.”

Richard Brooker, whose family operated the lodge, said Carvalho had been standing in front of the giraffe when the animal spread its legs, lowered its neck and swung its head.

Despite the fatal encounter, Gerald was not euthanized.

“Gerald will remain at the lodge,” Brooker said at the time. “He did nothing wrong.”

A spokesperson for Glen Afric later said Carvalho had separated from the group and moved closer to the animals than safety procedures allowed, according to reports.

The lodge said filming involving the animals had already finished and that animal handlers were moving the giraffe away from the set when the accident happened.

“The giraffe swung his head, making contact with the cameraman and knocking him off his feet,” Glen Afric said.

Management said it was devastated by Carvalho’s death and offered condolences to his family and colleagues.

Carvalho was a respected figure in South Africa’s film industry.

He won a Cannes Lion award in 2003 for a South African Childline public service announcement and later worked as director of photography on The Forgotten Kingdom, the first feature film produced in Lesotho.

The Johannesburg father of two was remembered by friends and colleagues as both a gifted filmmaker and a kind man.

“Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Carlos Carvalho, a very nice guy and talented DOP I had the honour of working with twice,” colleague Chris Roland wrote. “A great loss to the industry.”

Props master Thabiso Mohapi also shared an emotional tribute, remembering seeing Carvalho at breakfast on the morning of the tragedy.

“RIP my brother,” he wrote. “Meeting and greeting you that morning at breakfast shooting the first scenes of the morning didn’t know it was our last time together.”