Bee swarm in Aurillac, France stings 24 people, 3 rushed to hospital. Getty Images
A peaceful Sunday morning turned chaotic in the town of Aurillac, France, after a massive bee swarm attacked people on the street. Dozens got hurt. Emergency teams rushed three people to the hospital in critical condition. All three are now stable, officials confirmed.
The unusual attack happened without warning and caught everyone off guard.
Dozens Stung, Including Elderly Woman
Authorities reported that 24 people were injured as the bees flew out in large numbers and began stinging people in different parts of town.
Among the victims was a 78-year-old woman who suffered 25 stings. She went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on the spot. She is now out of danger and recovering in the hospital.
Panic in the Streets
Locals described scenes of confusion and fear as people ran for cover. A woman named Andrée, who lives nearby, said she saw many people waving their arms and shouting.
“They looked really panicked,” she said. “At first, I didn’t know what was going on. Then I saw the bees.”
Emergency teams, including firefighters and police, quickly responded. They blocked off the area to stop more people from walking into danger.
Beekeeper Called to Calm the Swarm
To handle the swarm, a professional beekeeper was brought in. He used smoke to calm the bees, a common method to make them less aggressive. The beehives were removed and taken out of the town to prevent further attacks.
What Triggered the Bees?
The town’s mayor, Pierre Mathonier, suggested that Asian hornets may have disturbed the hive. Hornets are known to be a threat to bees and could have caused panic inside the colony.
But Christian Carrier, the regional head of the beekeepers' union, disagreed. He said bees usually stay in their hive when hornets are nearby. He offered a different explanation.
He said the colony may have grown too large, and when the beekeeper tried to manage it, the bees may have become aggressive due to lack of space inside the hive.
More Possible Reasons
The mayor’s chief of staff, Vincent Fournier, said many factors might explain the sudden aggression.
He listed possibilities such as:
- A missing or stressed queen bee
- Heatwaves and early blooming
- Lack of food for bees in July
- Sudden temperature drops
He assured the public that experts will investigate to find the real cause. In the meantime, the bees have been relocated away from the town.
