A runner suffered a facial goring and several others narrowly avoided serious injury during a chaotic morning bull run at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, on Saturday. The event, which serves as the fifth run of the eight-day festival, saw six bulls and accompanying steers charge through narrow, crowded streets.
As the animals navigated the 875-meter course, they knocked participants to the cobblestones, leading to multiple pileups among the thrill-seekers. According to the University of Navarra Hospital, one individual was pierced by a bull’s horn in the face, while 12 additional people required medical attention for various injuries sustained during the two-and-a-half-minute run toward the bull ring, where the animals are slated for bullfights later in the day.
Witnesses noted that a black bull separated from the pack early in the run, plowing into a group of people and striking one person in the side of the face with its horn. Many participants appeared unaware of the proximity of the animals, which in some instances shoved runners aside rather than goring them.
This year’s festival marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s novel, “The Sun Also Rises,” a work credited with bringing international fame to the event. While the last fatality at the festival occurred in 2009, injuries such as broken bones and gorings remain common occurrences, frequently involving a mix of inexperienced tourists and local runners.
A black bull broke away from the pack early in the 875-meter (957-yard) run and plowed into a group of people, smacking one full in the side of the face with a horn. It was not clear if that was the moment of the goring.
