Four young men have died in a hippo attack on Kenya's Lake Naivasha.

According to Kenyan media reports, a group of 14 men wanted to fish illegally on the shores of the lake on Friday night.

Several hippos attacked the men, according to reports. Some were able to swim to safety, others were attacked by the animals or drowned.

According to their relatives, the men wanted to supplement their family income by fishing.

Hippos can become extremely aggressive. The animals, which graze on the lake shore at night, attack if they feel their territory has been violated.

At the lake, which is also popular with tourists and is located around 80 kilometers from the capital Nairobi in the Rift Valley, lodge and camp operators warn against night-time walks along the lake. It is life-threatening to get between hippos and the lake.