Spanish tourist Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, 22, died after an elephant attack while bathing the animal at Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in Thailand. The incident occurred on Friday, January 3, when the elephant pierced her with its tusk. Despite efforts, Ms. Garcia succumbed to her injuries.
Ms. Garcia was on the island of Yao Yai in southwestern Thailand with her boyfriend when the tragic event unfolded. Authorities have not released details regarding the extent of her injuries or if her boyfriend was harmed during the incident.
Official Statement confirmed her death
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Spanish Embassy confirmed Blanca’s death by an elephant attack and are assisting her relatives in Valladolid. “We can confirm the tragic death in an accident of a Spanish tourist. The Spanish Consulate in Bangkok is in contact with the victim’s relatives and is offering all the necessary consular assistance, as is normal in these types of circumstances,” the statement said.
Blanca was a fifth-year student at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain and was studying Law and International Relations. She was in Taiwan as part of a university exchange program. The University of Navarra expressed deep sorrow over her death and extended condolences to her family, requesting prayers for her soul.
Elephant Stress and Human Interactions
Thailand hosts over 4,000 wild elephants in sanctuaries, parks, and nature reserves, alongside approximately 4,000 domesticated elephants used in tourist shows. Concerns about the treatment of domesticated elephants persist. The World Animal Protection Organization estimates nearly 2,798 elephants in tourism venues face isolation and harsh training methods.
Experts suggest the elephant’s attack may have been triggered by stress from living and interacting with tourists outside its natural habitat. In Thailand, activities like washing and bathing with elephants are popular tourist attractions but can disrupt the animals’ natural behavior.
Human-elephant conflicts have been increasing in Thailand since 2000. Thai Department’s data from the of National Parks indicates at least 227 deaths from wild elephant attacks in the past 12 years, including 39 fatalities in 2024.
