“Accident during the race in circumstances to be ascertained” declared the organization, specifying that the death occurred during the helicopter transport to the hospital
New tragedy at the Dakar, unfortunately not new to these events. The organizers announced that today, during the ninth stage, a spectator of Italian origin lost his life. Spectator was airlifted to hospital following a dune bashing accident, but died in transit. “An Italian-born spectator who was behind a dune was injured on the rally track,” Amaury Sport Organization said in a press release. The victim, evacuated by helicopter by medical assistance, died during the transfer, specifies the Aso.
investigations
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The spectator was shot by a competitor and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the tragedy, ASO said without providing further details. The Dakar 2023 started on December 31 from the shores of the Red Sea and of the more than 8000 km of the race it expects to arrive on the east coast in Dammam on January 15. Based in Saudi Arabia for the fourth consecutive edition, the rally-raid takes place mainly in desert areas, but still attracts spectators, in any case in much smaller proportions than when the race was held in Latin America.