S student, 22, killed by elephant when it knocked her over as she was on holiday in Thailand

A Spanish tourist has died after an elephant forcefully knocked her over with its trunk at a popular animal sanctuary in Thailand.

Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, 22, from Valladolid, was bathing an elephant on Friday at the Koh Yao sanctuary on the Thai island of Yao Yai when the animal suddenly caused her the fatal blow.

Garcia, a Law and International Relations student, was rushed to a nearby hospital where she later died.

According to Spanish national paper El Pais the incident was confirmed by local police and the elephant care centre, which currently remains closed.

Reports had previously claimed the university student had been gored by the elephant, but trusted Spanish news agency EFE verified that this was not the case.

The incident was confirmed by local police and the sanctuary, which is currently closed as a result of the tragic accident.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that there were around 18 people present at the time of the incident, including Garcia's boyfriend.

No one else was reportedly injured.