July 14 (UPI) — Three people were gored during the final bull run in Spain’s San Fermin festival on Sunday, bringing the total for the year to eight.
A bull broke free from the pack of six animals used in the run in the city of Pamplona and gored two Australians and a Spanish man, health officials said, according to The Independent.
A hospital spokesman said one man was gored in the leg, flipping over the bull’s horn and slamming into the ground, while another was gored in the right arm and the third in the armpit.
None of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
The Red Cross reported additional injuries from people who were knocked down by bulls and runners sprinting out of the animals’ path.
Three Spaniards and two Americans were injured in the prior seven bull runs during this year’s festival.
A total of 16 people have died in the Pamplona bull runs since 1910, with the most recent death taking place in 2009.
Despite facing criticism from people who believe it is torture to use the animals in the bull runs and that the bulls are killed at the end of the event, the runs are protected under Spain’s constitution as part of its cultural heritage.
