Fourteen runners needed medical attention after the fifth San Fermín 2026 encierro in Pamplona. Six were taken to the Hospital Universitario de Navarra, including one with a goring injury and five with contusions. Four more went to local clinics, while another four were treated for bruises in the bullring.
The run lasted 2 minutes and 36 seconds. A bull broke away from the herd early, creating dangerous moments as runners crowded onto the route with little room to maneuver.
The reported total of nine transfers to medical facilities includes the runner with the goring injury. The other reported injuries were mainly contusions. The incident again put the demands of emergency response during the festival in focus, as medical teams treated runners both on the course and at nearby facilities.
Before the run, participants gathered to sing to San Fermín, a tradition associated with seeking the patron saint’s protection before entering the course. They perform the chant three times before the encierro, with verses in Spanish and Basque.
The afternoon programme was scheduled to include a corrida at Pamplona’s Plaza de Toros, featuring Antonio Ferrera and Juan de Castilla, alongside Isaac Fonseca. The bull run and the afternoon bullfight are separate parts of the festival’s daily programme.
San Fermín draws visitors from across Spain and abroad, bringing religious and civic traditions together with the daily encierros. The event’s scale makes rapid medical response and coordination among emergency teams basic to managing the risks. An overview of Pamplona’s emergency preparations and response during the festival’s launch is available during the festival's launch.
Each encierro brings different conditions for runners and the teams responsible for organizing the event and providing medical care. The fifth run’s reported injuries show the physical risks involved and the need for emergency services to respond along the course and at treatment facilities.
