During the last bull hunt of this year’s San Fermín festival, two runners were seriously injured by horn blasts in Pamplona, northern Spain.
July 14, 2026, 12:05 p.mJuly 14, 2026, 12:05 p.m
An 18-year-old was gored on the thigh and a 46-year-old was hit in the chest by one of the fighting bulls, which weighed up to 600 kilograms, the organizers said. In total there were ten injured at the end. Including a Brit who, despite being 86 years old, took part in the dangerous and controversial event.
People are repeatedly injured during the bull hunt in Pamplona.Image: keystone
The man from Halesowen near Birmingham suffered injuries to his right hand, left eyebrow and left elbow, it was said. The last one was the most dangerous of the eight races of the year, according to the state TV broadcaster RTVE.
Injuries caused by horn blasts are relatively rare in Pamplona, but do occur again and again. This year, for example, more than 70 participants were injured in the eight runs, but only five were injured by horn blasts. A German was also caught in the third bull hunt this year. The 29-year-old was injured in his left arm by a bull’s horn.
The last fatality occurred 17 years ago
All of those injured in the last run were men between the ages of 18 and 86, the official statement said. Most of them are Spanish. They were taken to hospitals with injuries such as bruises, bruises, cuts and broken bones.
Caregiver with a man on the ground.Image: keystone
The festival in honor of the city’s saint, San Fermín, began on July 6th. At the festival, six fighting bulls, some weighing over 600 kilograms, are chased through the streets of the old town every morning, some of them weighing over 600 kilograms, together with tame lead oxen, for the bullfights in the arena starting in the late afternoon.
Many runners are injured every year during the tests of courage over the approximately 825 meter long route. There have also been 16 deaths since records began in 1924. Most of them died from horn blasts. The last death occurred in 2009. The parents of the 27-year-old, who was fatally shot in the neck, have been traveling to Pamplona every year since then to commemorate their son.
It is “medieval torture,” critics complain
This year too, animal protection groups protested against the traditional event, which has been taking place since 1591 but is now also controversial in Spain. Critics speak of “medieval torture”. Nevertheless, the festival continues to attract tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world, especially from Europe, Asia and the USA. The US writer Ernest Hemingway wrote about Pamplona in his first major novel, “Fiesta” (1926).
This year, a US influencer dressed as a joker caused greater excitement by walking with a cell phone in his hand, contrary to safety regulations, and also ignoring other rules. The police temporarily arrested the man. According to the media, he could be fined up to 6,000 euros for endangering public safety. (dab/sda/dpa)