XI'AN - A fun-filled visit to the zoo turned into a tragedy for a family in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, as a tiger attacked a man and his 17-year-old son, killing the former on the spot, on Sunday.

According to the Xi'an Qinling Wild Zoo, the man was killed by a 3-year-old male tiger at about 1:20 pm, but his son was rescued by zoo workers who rushed to the scene after hearing an alarm.

"We do not know how they (the man and his son) entered the tiger zone by foot, as visitors are required to take safety vehicles when entering the zone," an unnamed worker told China Daily on Monday.