Spain’s San Fermin bull run descends into chaos after runner gored in the face in Pamplona
Panic erupted as charging bulls thundered through packed streets in Pamplona, leaving one runner gored in the face and several others injured in chaotic scenes.
One split second separated dozens of runners from catastrophe after a 600kg bull tore through crowds during Spain’s notorious San Fermin festival, leaving one man gored in the face and triggering terrifying scenes of chaos in the streets of Pamplona.
Panicked thrill-seekers were sent sprawling across the cobblestones as six charging bulls thundered through the narrow course on Saturday morning, with runners trampled in pile-ups, shoved aside by the animals and forced to dive for cover to escape their horns.
The most serious injury came when one participant was gored in the face.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.A further 12 people required medical treatment for injuries ranging from heavy knocks to falls, according to the University of Navarra Hospital.
The frightening scenes unfolded after one of the six fighting bulls broke away from the pack just moments into the 875-metre run, charging directly into a crowd of runners and smashing one man in the face with its horn. Authorities have not confirmed whether that impact caused the facial goring.
Footage captured the sheer terror of the run, with several participants appearing completely unaware the bulls were only metres behind them. Others escaped injury by the narrowest of margins as the animals barged past instead of lowering their horns, while repeated stumbles created dangerous bottlenecks that left runners scrambling to get back to their feet before the herd arrived.
The entire run lasted just two-and-a-half minutes before the animals reached Pamplona’s bullring, where they will later be killed by bullfighters as part of the centuries-old festival.
Saturday marked the fifth of eight daily bull runs during this year’s San Fermin celebrations, which are marking the centenary of Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, the novel widely credited with introducing the festival to an international audience.
Each morning, thousands of people from around the world flood Pamplona’s medieval streets hoping to outrun six fighting bulls along the city’s famous route.
While seasoned locals return year after year, many participants are first-time tourists chasing the adrenaline rush despite the well-known dangers.
The risks are significant.
Although the last death during the bull run occurred in 2009, gorings, broken bones and serious head injuries remain common. Every year runners are caught beneath the herd, pinned against barriers or struck as panic spreads through the tightly packed streets.
This year’s festival has already produced a growing list of casualties.
Three men were taken to hospital after Tuesday’s opening run, including a 61-year-old American who suffered a head injury alongside two Spanish runners treated for leg and ankle injuries.
Despite the dangers, the daily encierro remains one of the world’s most controversial spectacles, drawing thousands of participants willing to risk life and limb for a run that lasts less than three minutes.
