PAMPLONA, Spain — A participant in Spain’s famous San Fermin festival was pierced in the face by a bull’s horn Saturday, while dozens of others narrowly escaped serious injury during a frenzied morning run through the streets of Pamplona.
Six bulls and a group of accompanying steers thundered through tightly packed crowds along the festival’s narrow cobblestone course. The massive animals sent runners tumbling to the ground, and stumbling participants triggered multiple pile-ups throughout the two-and-a-half-minute dash from the starting pen to the bullring, where the animals are killed by bullfighters later in the day.
According to the University of Navarra Hospital, one person sustained a horn wound to the face, while 12 others were treated for various bumps and injuries sustained during the run.
A black bull separated from the rest of the herd early in the 875-meter (957-yard) course and barreled into a crowd of runners, striking one person squarely in the face with its horn. It remains unclear whether that specific moment resulted in the goring.
Throughout the run, many participants appeared completely oblivious to the bulls right behind them. Rather than attempting to gore the runners, some of the bulls simply shoved them aside.
Saturday’s run was the fifth of eight morning runs that make up the festival, which is held in northern Spain.
This year’s San Fermin carries special historical significance — it comes exactly 100 years after the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s novel “The Sun Also Rises,” the book widely credited with bringing the festival its international reputation.
The most recent fatality at San Fermin’s bull runs took place in 2009. However, gorings and broken bones remain a regular occurrence at the event, due in large part to the many inexperienced runners and foreign tourists who participate alongside seasoned locals.
