A tragedy has shocked the community of Aýna, a small town of 577 inhabitants located in the province of Albacete, within the Castilla-La Mancha region in Spain. On the morning of Saturday 5 September, around 10.55am, a 64-year-old Catalan woman lost her life after being hit by a bull during the first bull riding organized for the patron saint’s celebrations.
The victim, who was on holiday in the Sierra del Segura together with some family members, was in the area known as Las Cuevas, along the race route but located outside the protection barriers. The videos released on social media show the woman remaining motionless for a few moments next to the containment structures as the herd approached, and then started running in the wrong direction, ending up in the path of the animals.
𝐈𝐌𝐀́𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐒 | Make a woman look hot and horny in Ayna’s eyes pic.twitter.com/scAZNYCeWI
— acetaminofen mk (@acetaminofenmk) September 5, 2026
The rescue, the death of the woman and the injury of another participant
A bull reached the 64-year-old near a side wall, piercing her with its horns and causing extremely serious injuries. Mayor Juan Ángel Martínez confirmed the reconstruction of the facts, explaining how the animal’s sudden change of direction surprised the woman. The healthcare personnel and Civil Guard agents already present on site intervened promptly, requesting the help of a medical helicopter.
Despite an attempt at stabilization and emergency surgery performed on the field, the woman died during transport to the heliport. During the same race a second accident was also recorded: a man of around 60 years old was gored in the arm by another specimen at a different point on the route and was subsequently hospitalized at the General University Hospital of Albacete.
Suspension of events and reflection on the danger of bull riding
Following the dramatic event, the administration led by Mayor Juan Ángel Martínez decided to suspend all demonstrations planned for the rest of Saturday as a sign of mourning. The programming linked to the celebrations in honor of the Virgin of Santa María de lo Alto then resumed on Sunday 6 September and will continue until 8 September.
This latest news episode inevitably reignites the debate on the safety of the encierros and the safety of participants and spectators. The traditional running of the bulls, while rooted in the cultural heritage of many Spanish towns, continues to demonstrate how thin the line is between folklore and tragedy. It’s time to say enough to these now obsolete demonstrations which continue to prove extremely dangerous.
