Spain’s annual bull runs in the northern city of Pamplona have once again attracted thousands of visitors, many of whom are not afraid of being gored – such as the nine bull runners severely injured on Thursday.

This year’s San Fermin festival in Spanish city Pamplona saw the goring of seven persons while several others were seriously injured by the bulls they ran alongside with, or at least tried to.

At least a dozen people were hospitalized, of these seven for gorings and the others for head injuries, according to a statement from the local government. Three are reportedly in very serious condition after having undergone surgery.

Hospital sources said those hospitalized were citizens of Spain, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Germany and the US. This has been one of the wildest and most dangerous runnings of bulls in recent years.

Onlookers said the bulls stopped their running and targeted runners close to them.

Previous bull runs have been literally deadly. Records kept since the 1920s show that 13 people have lost their lives during the unusual celebration of Pamplona's patron Saint Fermin, since 1924. The most recent victim was a tourist who died in 1995.