Tourist seriously injured after being gored by bull at Alicante festival
The Icelandic man got caught in the crossfire at the Xàbia bull running event
The already controversial reputation of the Spanish tradition of bullfighting has been further sullied this week after a hapless holidaymaker was lucky to escape with his life at a festival in Alicante.
What should have been a thrilling afternoon turned into a terrifying encounter for the 60-year-old Icelandic tourist when he was violently gored by a bull at an event in Xàbia and had to be rushed to hospital.
As the bull running commenced, the tourist found himself in the bullfighting area, a designated space for the official competitors. However, as the bulls made their first lap, a heifer suddenly charged, striking the man on his inner thigh. The animal first glanced off the tourist, then turned and hooked him, dragging him across the ground.
Amidst the panic, a local police officer and several bystanders sprang into action. They carried the injured man to the medical tent, where a doctor and healthcare staff stabilised him. It was a critical moment, as the goring had narrowly missed the femoral artery, a potentially fatal wound.
The injured tourist was then transported to the hospital in Dénia by Red Cross ambulance. Thankfully, despite the severity of the injury, official sources have confirmed that he is out of danger, but it was a very close call.
Last September in nearby Valencia, a 61-year-old local man died after being gored several times during the annual bull run in the town of Pobla de Farnales. The father of two was pierced by the bull’s horns as many as four times, one of the attacks damaging his lung and liver.
The Xàbia bullfight, scheduled for 7pm, was understandably suspended as everyone’s attention turned to the injured man. It resumed later, at 8.15pm, once the doctor had returned from accompanying the injured tourist to the hospital.
Image: Adam Jones via Wikimedia Commons
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