U.S. Navy Solves Jumbo Thai Shipping Problem

BANGKOK, Thailand — A U.S. Navy C-130 plane flew a two-ton elephant Monday from Thailand to Sri Lanka, ending a four-year-old jumbo transportation problem.

Thailand gave the male elephant, weighing 3,977 pounds, to Sri Lanka as a gift four years ago, but veterinarians refused to authorize shipment by sea. No cargo plane big enough to carry the elephant was found until the U.S. Embassy here arranged for the C-130 to do the job in the course of a regular flight between the Philippines and Sri Lanka, an embassy spokesman said.