Runner Gored in Face During Chaotic San Fermin Bull Run

Chaos erupted during a bull run at Spain's San Fermin festival on Saturday, resulting in one runner being gored in the face and several others sustaining injuries. The event saw six bulls and accompanying steers race through the narrow, packed streets of Pamplona.

The two-and-a-half-minute run, from the pen to the bullring, was marked by the large animals knocking people down and stumbling runners causing multiple pileups on the cobblestone streets. A black bull that broke away from the main group early in the run charged into a cluster of people, striking one runner directly in the face with its horn.

In total, 12 individuals required medical attention at the University of Navarra Hospital for a range of injuries. While the specific runner gored in the face was the most serious injury reported, many others suffered assorted wounds during the frenzied event. Runners often appeared unaware of the bulls' proximity, with some being shoved aside rather than gored.

This year's festival marks the 100th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway's novel "The Sun Also Rises," which significantly boosted the festival's international fame. The last fatality at the San Fermin bull runs occurred in 2009, though injuries like gorings and broken bones remain common, partly due to the participation of many novice runners and tourists alongside experienced locals.