In a horrifying incident witnessed by many, an elephant in Thailand killed a visitor.
According to Knewz.com, the event happened as Blanca Ojanguren Garc a, a 22-year-old tourist from Valladolid in northwest Spain, was bathing the 50-year-old elephant at the Koh Yao Elephant Care.
18 people, including Garcia’s own boyfriend, were present for the incident, according to Spanish newspapers El Mundo and El Pais, but no one else was hurt.
Garcia was pushed by the elephant’s trunk, according to the newspaper El Mundo. After the incident, she was taken to a nearby hospital and passed away from her wounds.
After her passing, the University of Navarra, where Garcia studied law and international relations, released a statement.
The Faculty of Law is deeply saddened by the passing of our Law and International Relations student in Thailand, they stated on X. We offer prayers for her soul and share her family’s sorrow.
Following the event, Koh Yao Elephant Care shuttered, and they have not yet disclosed when or whether they plan to reopen to the public. El Mundo claims that the center has three elephants, including the one that was involved in the incident.
They provide “elephant care” packages that allow visitors to bathe and stroll with the animals in addition to preparing and feeding them. The prices of these bundles range from $55 to $84.
Garcia’s death has not yet received a response from the refuge.
All of this occurs as Thailand and many other nations have been encouraged to cease breeding elephants in captivity by the global charity WorldAnimalProtection. The group claims that over 60% of elephants employed for tourism in Asia are kept in “severely inadequate” conditions.
They clarified: “These intelligent and socially intricate animals, with a capacity for complex thoughts and emotions, endure profound suffering in captivity, as their natural social structures cannot be replicated artificially.”
Only a few weeks have passed since another woman lost her life as a result of an attack by a huge elephant.
According to reports, the 49-year-old victim was attacked while out on a stroll in Thailand’s Phu Kradueng National Park. The victim was killed after the elephant reportedly charged at her twice.
After wild elephants attacked tourists on December 11, Phu Kradueng National Park subsequently posted on Facebook that a visitor had perished.
They also mentioned that there are still elephants wandering throughout the walking path leading to several tourist destinations, which could endanger visitors who come across wild elephants.
“Phu Kradung National Park expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and requests all tourists to strictly follow the instructions of the officials for tourism safety,” they wrote.
Jeeranan from the province of Chachoengsao was identified as the victim.
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