A Spanish tourist was killed by an elephant she was bathing at a sanctuary in southern Thailand, police said on Monday.
Blanca Ojanguren García, 22, a student from Valladolid, was visiting Yao Yai island with her boyfriend on Friday when she was attacked by the elephant.
The couple was washing one of the animals at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Center when she was gored, causing an injury that later killed her.
The elephant likely became stressed or panicked by interacting with visitors outside its ecosystem, experts told local reporters.
The Spanish Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Bangkok confirmed García's death.
“We can confirm the tragic death in an accident of a Spanish tourist,” the embassy said in a statement. “The Spanish Consulate in Bangkok is in contact with the victim's relatives and is providing all necessary consular assistance, as is normal in these types of situations. of circumstances.”
A mother elephant with newborn twins in Ayutthaya, Thailand (AP)
García studied at the University of Navarra, but lived in Taiwan as part of an Erasmus academic exchange program. She had traveled to Thailand as a tourist with her partner, an infantry cadet from Oviedo, Spain The Telegraph.
She took part in an elephant bathing session, a popular tourist activity in Thailand that allows visitors to interact with wild animals.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation estimates that there are more than 4,000 wild elephants in the country, living in reserves, reserves and national parks.
The department has recorded at least 227 deaths from elephant attacks in the past 12 years, with 39 fatalities in 2024 alone.
World Animal Protection estimates that approximately 2,800 elephants are held in Thailand for tourism purposes. The charity has raised concerns about the treatment of such elephants, who are often kept isolated, chained and forced to perform tricks and other activities. It is said that the trainers often use methods that involve beating and lashing the elephants.
The Koh Yao Elephant Care Center states on its website that it is committed to “providing responsible and ethical interactions with elephants”. It claims it does not “control” or “use a hook” on our elephants.
The independent has contacted the center for comment.
In December, a 49-year-old woman was killed while walking at the Phu Luang Wildlife Research Station in Loei. The park was temporarily closed to ensure the safety of visitors, but is now open.
