Spanish Tourist Killed by Elephant at Thailand Sanctuary; Mahout Charged with Negligence

The 22-year-old woman was fatally gored while bathing an elephant, raising concerns about the ethics of elephant tourism.

Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, a 22-year-old Spanish law student, died after being gored by an elephant at Koh Yao Elephant Care in southern Thailand on January 3, 2025.
The elephant reportedly panicked as Garcia moved in front of it during a bathing activity, leading to fatal injuries from its tusk.
The mahout, Theerayut Inthaphudkij, has been charged with negligence causing death and could face up to 10 years in prison and a 200,000 baht fine if convicted.
Animal rights groups have criticized elephant tourism practices, citing stress and mistreatment of elephants as contributing factors to such incidents.
This tragedy has reignited debates over the ethics of close-contact wildlife tourism and the need for stricter regulations to protect both humans and animals.