Runner Gored in Face During Pamplona San Fermin Bull Run

One runner was pierced in the face by a bull's horn during the Saturday morning run of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, while a dozen additional participants received treatment for injuries, the University of Navarra Hospital reported. The six bulls and accompanying steers moved through a narrow cobbled street crowded with participants, causing several collisions and pileups as the animals advanced toward the bullring. A black bull broke away from the group early in the 875-meter run and struck a person in the side of the face, though officials could not confirm if this was the exact moment of the goring. Many runners appeared unaware of the approaching bulls and simply moved aside rather than confronting the animals. The incident occurred during the fifth of eight scheduled morning runs. The San Fermin festivities, popularized internationally after the 1926 publication of Ernest Hemingway's novel, have not seen a fatality since 2009, though injuries remain common due to the large number of inexperienced participants and tourists.

"The University of Navarra Hospital said 12 people needed medical treatment following the run," the hospital statement noted.