Thai authorities arrested an elephant handler in the case of a 22-year-old Spanish tourist who died after being injured by an elephant at a sanctuary in the south of the country.

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.

Thai police have charged a mahout after an elephant in his care gored a Spanish tourist to death last week. Theerayut Inthaphudkij, 38, was charged with negligence causing death, local authorities said Monday.

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.

A Thai man has been charged with “negligence causing death” after an elephant gored a Spanish tourist at a sanctuary in southern Thailand last week.