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‘Panicked’ Thai elephant kills tourist
A ‘stressed’ elephant has killed a Spanish tourist during a bathing session at a Thailand elephant sanctuary.
The 23-year-old woman was hit by the ‘panic stricken’ animal’s trunk, police said.
It happened at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in Phang Nga province.
“A female tourist was killed while bathing an elephant,” police chief Jaran Bangprasert said.
Spanish media identified the woman as Blanca Ojanguren García.
She was in a group of about eight tourists at the sanctuary when it happened
Spain’s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, said their consulate in Bangkok is assisting a Spanish family.
The elephant sanctuary offers various ‘elephant care’ packages which include bathing, walking and preparing food and feeding the elephants.
Deaths by wild elephants are relatively common but rare in elephant refuges and sanctuaries.
At least 227 people have been killed in the last 12 years, who are mostly local residents in rural areas.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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