Bee attack leaves three in critical condition and dozens injured in France
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Emergency crews cordoned off a street in Aurillac after a sudden bee attack injured 24 people.
Bee Attack in Southern France Leaves Three Critically Injured
24 injured after aggressive swarm descends on town of Aurillac
Aurillac, France – Three people remain in critical but stable condition after an unexpected bee attack in the town of Aurillac on Sunday morning that left 24 people injured, local officials have confirmed.
One of the victims, a 78-year-old woman, was stung 25 times and suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest, requiring resuscitation on the scene. The mayor, Pierre Mathonier, described the situation as “highly unusual” and confirmed that emergency services acted quickly to cordon off the area.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as hundreds of bees swarmed passersby, with people seen swatting at the air in confusion and fear.
“I could tell they were being attacked by something, but I couldn’t figure out what,” said a local resident, Andrée, speaking to French media. “People were very panicked.”
Experts offer differing explanations
Local authorities initially suspected the attack may have been triggered by Asian hornets threatening a nearby hive.
However, Christian Carrier, president of the regional beekeepers’ union, offered a different explanation. He suggested the colony may have outgrown its hive, becoming overactive and aggressive when disturbed.
“It may be that the bees didn’t have enough space, and their colony had no intention of swarming. This can trigger strong aggression,” Carrier told France Info.
Carrier also dismissed the Asian hornet theory, explaining that bees typically stay inside their colonies when hornets are present.
Emergency response
Police and firefighters swiftly fenced off the area, and a professional beekeeper was called in to smoke out the bees – a common method used to calm them safely.
As of Monday evening, three people remain in hospital, while the other victims are recovering from multiple stings.
The mayor has praised the fast response of emergency crews and has ordered a full investigation to understand what triggered the swarm.
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