One runner was gored in the face and numerous others sustained injuries during a chaotic bull run at Spain’s San Fermin festival on Saturday. The six bulls and accompanying steers navigated the narrow, packed streets of Pamplona, with the animals knocking runners to the ground and causing several pileups during the approximately two-and-a-half-minute event.
According to the University of Navarra Hospital, one participant was pierced by a horn in the face, and 12 others received medical treatment for various knocks and injuries. Early in the 875-meter run, a black bull reportedly broke away from the main pack and collided with a group of people, striking one individual in the side of the face with its horn, though it was not definitively confirmed as the moment of the goring.
Many participants appeared unaware of the bulls' proximity, with some being pushed aside rather than gored. Saturday’s run marked the fifth of the eight-day festival, which commemorates Saint Fermin. The festival gained international renown following the 1926 publication of Ernest Hemingway’s novel “The Sun Also Rises.”
While the last fatality at the San Fermin bull runs occurred in 2009, gorings and broken bones remain common occurrences. This is often attributed to the participation of many novice runners and foreign tourists alongside experienced locals.