PAMPLONA: Massive bulls gored three men yesterday including a 20-year-old American in the bloodiest run of this year’s San Fermin festival in Spain’s northern city of Pamplona.
A 560kg brown bull called “Burrenote”, part of the galloping herd of six sharp-horned bulls and six steers, charged the American at the start of the route, goring him in the abdomen.
The man clung to one of the beast’s horns as it slipped under his white shirt and jabbed his belly. He was holding on to a small black camera in his other hand. Festival organisers ban bull run participants from bringing cameras but many ignore the rule.
The man was rushed to hospital where doctors removed his spleen, regional health authorities said. The run turned dangerous again when another bull, a 575kg black beast called “Langostero” or “Lobster Boat”, separated from the pack and began charging into runners.
The lone bull charged one young man and tossed him around the ground in a 30-second tussle, causing the daredevil’s pants to come off. The man hung on to a horn while two runners tried to pull the animal away by the tail. Two others then grabbed the young man by the feet and pulled him to safety.
The bull gored the 31-year-old Spanish man three times — in his right knee, his left calf and his groin. The bull then charged a 42-year-old Spanish man, who was wearing a yellow t-shirt, near the entrance to the bull ring, goring him twice in his right arm and sending him reeling against the wooden barrier that lines the route.
The two Spanish men also underwent surgery. An isolated bull is considered a more dangerous beast because it can become disoriented and is more likely to charge runners. Another three people, including a 48-year-old American, were taken to hospital with injuries suffered in falls. AFP
