People take part in the traditional ‘Gigantes y Cabezudos Fest’ (Giants and Big-Heads Fest) through the streets of Pamplona, Spain yesterday as part of the San Fermin festival. The annual festival takes place from July 6 to 14. The running-with-the-bulls festival commemorates St Fermin, Pamplona’s patron saint.
Reuters/Pamplona
A US tourist and two Spaniards were gored by bulls yesterday during a bull run in Pamplona, as they were racing through the Spanish town’s cobbled streets pursued by the animals.
The 20-year-old American was in a “serious” condition as was a 31-year-old from eastern Spain. The second Spaniard was described as having “less serious” injuries, authorities said.
The American, who was identified only by the initials “PE”, needed emergency surgery to remove his spleen, which burst when the bull gored him, and was said to be stable in hospital.
The Spanish man sustained injuries in his groin, knee and thigh.
A further four bull runners were injured, including another American, aged 48.
Authorities did not specify their injuries, but participants are often hurt due to falling in the chaotic dash. All those injured were men; few women take part in the run.
The gorings were the first this year at the festival, which started Saturday. The bull runs, which started on Sunday, take place at 8am (0600 GMT) and usually lasts between two and five minutes.
The animals taking part in the run are later killed by matadors in the bullring, the final destination of the morning run.
Pamplona’s San Fermin festival, one of hundreds of bull running fiestas held around Spain every year, was made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises and attracts visitors from around the world.
Most runners dress all in white with red kerchiefs around their neck. Many spectators drink all night before the early morning run and revellers’ white clothes are often stained with red wine.
A 27-year-old from Madrid was the last person to be killed during a Pamplona bull run, after being gored in the neck in 2009. There have been 14 fatalities over the past century at the fiesta that dates from the 13th century.