A tourist trip that turns into a tragedy. Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, a 22-year-old student who was in Thailand with her boyfriend, died on Friday January 3 after being attacked by an elephant she was washing, reports the BBC.
The couple was bathing and washing one of the elephants, a very popular tourist attraction in the country, until the young woman from Valladolid walked in front of him and received a blow from the pachyderm's trunk. Earlier reports said the elephant injured the student with one of its tusks, but Spanish news agency EFE confirmed she was not gored.
According to El Mundo, which quotes the owner of the elephant reception center, eighteen people, including the victim's boyfriend, were present during the attack and no one else was injured. Blanca Ojanguren Garcia was rushed to a local hospital and died.
The center's owner said they have three elephants on site, including the 50-year-old female elephant involved in the incident, and receive around 10 to 30 visitors per day. For the moment, the center is closed and no reopening date is planned.
According to experts, the elephant was probably stressed by the pressure of everyday life and interaction with tourists. The Koh Yao Elephant Care Center claims online that it is committed to “providing responsible and ethical interactions with elephants” and does not “control” them by tethering them.
Blanca Ojanguren Garcia's former school reacted to the sad news on social networks and wanted to pay tribute to her. “Shocked by the death of our former student, Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, we join her family in prayer and affection. Always in our hearts, dear Blanca,” we can read in the publication.
According to data from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, around 240 deaths due to wild elephant attacks have been recorded in Thailand over the past twelve years. As many as 39 deaths have been reported in 2024. According to World Animal Protection, nearly 2,800 “captive elephants live in tourist locations” across the country.
