Spanish Student Dies After Elephant Attack at Thai Tourism Centre

A Spanish student, Blanca Ojanguren García, tragically died after an elephant attacked her during a bathing session at a Thai tourism centre. Experts warn that such tourist activities may cause distress to elephants, sparking debate over the ethics of elephant tourism in Thailand.

A tragic incident occurred at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in Thailand on January 5, 2025, when a 22-year-old Spanish student, Blanca Ojanguren García, was killed by an elephant during a tourist bathing session. García, who was studying law and international relations at Spain’s University of Navarra, had been participating in a popular elephant bathing activity at the centre when the attack took place. The young woman was visiting Thailand with her boyfriend, who witnessed the horrifying event.

Local authorities reported that the elephant involved in the attack appeared "panic-stricken," suggesting that it may have been under immense stress from frequent tourist interactions. The Koh Yao centre offers various elephant-based activities, including feeding, bathing, and walking with the animals. While these activities are marketed as safe and enjoyable for tourists, experts have raised concerns about the negative effects such interactions can have on elephants.

Blanca had been living in Taiwan as part of a student exchange program when she traveled to Thailand. The incident has sparked a debate about the ethics of elephant tourism in Thailand, a country home to thousands of elephants both in the wild and in captivity. Many animal welfare advocates have long criticized such activities for causing distress to the elephants, who are often subjected to unnatural interactions and confined to inadequate living conditions.

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The World Animal Protection organization has called for an end to the breeding of elephants for tourism, stating that these intelligent creatures endure significant suffering in captivity. As the investigation into García’s death continues, concerns over the ethical treatment of elephants in the tourism industry are gaining more attention.