One runner sustained a facial goring and twelve others received medical treatment for various injuries during a chaotic bull run at Spain's San Fermin festival on Saturday. The incident occurred as six bulls and their accompanying steers charged through crowded streets in Pamplona.
The approximately two-and-a-half-minute run saw the animals knock participants to the cobblestones, and several pileups occurred as runners stumbled. The University of Navarra Hospital reported that the injured individuals were treated for an assortment of knocks and bruises, with one specifically being pierced in the face by a horn.
Early in the 850-meter course, a black bull reportedly broke away from the main group and collided with a cluster of people. While it was not explicitly stated if this was the exact moment of the goring, many runners appeared unaware of the bulls' proximity, sometimes being shoved aside rather than gored.
Saturday's event marked the fifth morning run of the eight-day festival. The San Fermin festival gained international renown following the 1926 publication of Ernest Hemingway's novel "The Sun Also Rises." While fatalities have been rare, with the last bull run death occurring in 2009, gorings and broken bones are common occurrences, often attributed to a mix of inexperienced runners and foreign tourists participating alongside local veterans.