A Spanish woman was gored to death by an elephant while bathing the animal at a sanctuary in southern Thailand on Friday, according to local police.

She walked in front of the elephant when it took one of its tusks and gored her to death, reported the Thai Examiner. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she later died from a head injury.

A "panic-stricken" elephant killed a Spanish woman while she was bathing the animal at an elephant centre in Thailand, local police said. Blanca Ojanguren García, 22, was washing the elephant at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre last Friday when she was gored to death by the animal.

The mahout faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht (£4,642). According to eyewitnesses, the elephant was startled when Garcia moved in front of it and pushed her into the concrete edge of the pond with her tusk.

A student from Spain who was washing an elephant at a tourist attraction in Thailand was killed by the animal when it struck and pushed her with its trunk.

A Spanish woman was killed during a visit to Thailand after an elephant she was bathing panicked and pierced her with their tusk.

Bathing with elephants is considered a tourist attraction in Thailand, but what seems so idyllic is actually dangerous – and has now cost a student her life.