The young student was traveling with her boyfriend.
Wash elephants or bathe with them is one of the most popular experiences for tourists in Thailand, but this activity is not without risk. A 22-year-old Spanish tourist was fatally injured while taking part in pachyderm bathing at the Koh Yao elephant care center on the island of Yao Yai, southwest of Thailand according to sources from the Police and the elephant center. Blanca Ojanguren, originally from Valladollid, was a student in fifth year of law and international relations at the University of Navarra, reports El Pais. She was accompanied by her boyfriend, an infantry cadet from Oviedo, present at the time of the attack.
The events took place at the beginning of December. She was participating in the bathing of the animal, but when she passed in front of him, she received a violent blow from the trunk, specifies the site All Thailand. She died shortly afterwards from her injuries. The young woman was currently living in Taiwan as part of the Erasmus university exchange program and visiting Thailand as a tourist.
According to local media, which consulted animal experts, the elephant was likely stressed by repeated interactions with tourists. The elephant sanctuary has been closed to the public.
This is the first death from an elephant attack in 2025. Over the past 12 years, there have been 240 fatalities, but the majority are due to wild animals invading populated areas due to the natural loss of their habitat. In 2024, 39 people died for this reason.
