Bull gores runner in the face at Spain's San Fermin bull run festival, 12 others hurt

Bull gores runner in the face at Spain's San Fermin bull run festival, 12 others hurt

A runner was pierced by a horn in the face and 12 other people required medical treatment for various knocks during a chaotic bull run in Pamplona on Saturday, July 11, 2026. The University of Navarra Hospital confirmed the casualty count.

The incident occurred during the fifth morning run of the eight-day festival in northern Spain. Six bulls and accompanying steers charged through crowds of thrill-seekers who packed the narrow street course. The animals, weighing 600kg, knocked participants to the cobblestones, while stumbling runners created several pileups.

According to reports, a black bull broke away from the pack early in the 875-meter (957-yard) sprint and plowed into a group of people, smacking one full in the side of the face with a horn. It remains unclear if this specific moment was the cause of the goring.

The run from the pen to the bullring lasted two-and-a-half minutes. The bulls are later killed by bullfighters in the ring. Observers noted that many runners seemed unaware when bulls were breathing down their necks, and some were simply shoved out of the way by the animals rather than being gored.

This year's festivities coincide with the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises, which brought international fame to the San Fermin festival. The novel, published in 1926, describes American and British bohemians in the Jazz Age and is translated in Spanish as Fiesta.

While the last death during the bull runs occurred in 2009, gorings and broken bones remain common. This risk is attributed in part to the high number of foreign tourists and novice runners who join experienced locals. In 2022, Pamplona's City Hall reported that Americans were the leading group of foreign runners at 16 per cent, which was four times the percentage of participants from France. British participants typically account for around 4 per cent of international runners.

The festival's international draw remains strong. Bruce Anderson, a Dallas-based tour operator, stated that Hemingway's work turned the event into a bucket-list destination. His company, "Running Of The Bulls," is bringing 1,400 people to the festival this year, with more than two-thirds hailing from the United States.

For some, the danger is part of the allure. Bill Hillmann, a 44-year-old from Chicago and a doctorate holder in English, has run with the bulls hundreds of times across various Spanish towns. Hillmann, who teaches the Hemingway novel at East-West University in Chicago, has been gored three times, including a severe leg injury in 2014. In 2017, while speaking from a hospital bed in Pamplona, he told the AP that there is real art to be seen if one pays attention.

The festival's legacy is deeply embedded in Pamplona. The city of 200,000 residents attracts over a million visitors for the event, with about 15 per cent coming from abroad. Hemingway's presence is visible in hotels and bars, including the Perla Hotel and the Café Iruña. A banner outside the bullring features a quote from the writer:

"At noon of Sunday, the 6th of July, the fiesta exploded. There is no other way to describe it."Ernest Hemingway, via Source 3

However, the celebration is not without controversy. Animal welfare activist Brook Spurling, protesting the bullfights, argued that Hemingway's themes of hunting and war would not be accepted in society today. Additionally, some residents, such as former hotel receptionist Fernando Hualde, suggest that the promotion of the festival has led to problems with overtourism. Gabriel Insausti, a professor at the University of Navarra, suggested that the "franchise" of Hemingway has obscured the actual novel, noting that many people know the author's name without having read the book.

Earlier in the week, the festival began on Monday with fireworks. The first proper day of runs on Tuesday saw three men rushed to the hospital: a 61-year-old American with a non-serious head injury, a 20-year-old from Segovia with a leg injury, and a 34-year-old from the province of Biscay with an ankle injury. Two other individuals received medical attention but did not require hospitalization.