Bangkok: A "panic-stricken" elephant killed a Spanish tourist while she was bathing the animal at a sanctuary in southern Thailand, police said on Monday.

The 23-year-old woman was hit by the stressed animal's trunk at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in Phang Nga province, according to police.

"A female tourist was killed while bathing an elephant," Jaran Bangprasert, the local police chief told AFP.

Authorities have contacted the Spanish embassy to confirm the victim's identity.

The sanctuary declined to provide details of the incident when contacted by AFP.

Wild elephants have killed 227 people, including tourists, in the past 12 years, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

An elephant killed a 49-year-old woman at a national park in Loei province in northern Thailand last month.

While encounters between villagers and wild elephants are common, attacks at sanctuaries remain rare.

Bathing elephants is a popular activity among visitors in Thailand, where about 2,800 elephants are held for tourism purposes across the country, according to World Animal Protection.

However, animal rights groups argue that bathing elephants can cause them distress and some sanctuaries in the country do not allow it.

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