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Dakar rally death

January 9, 2016

A 63-year-old man has died after being hit by a car during the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally. The accident occured amidst heavy rains on the course in Bolivia.

https://p.dw.com/p/1Hanl
Argentinien Rallye Dakar Sebastien Loeb
Image: Reuters/M. Brindicci

The spectator was killed after the seventh stage of the race had already been suspended due to bad weather.

"An accident occurred at the 82 kilometer mark of the day on Bolivian territory when competitor 409 Lionel Baud collided with a 63-year-old man, who had become isolated on the track," organizers said in a statement.

The 38th edition of the world's most grueling car race had already gotten off to a dark start when a car driven by Chinese duo Guo Meiling and Min Liao smashed into a group of spectators watching the prologue in Buenos Aires. That left 10 people injured, three of them seriously.

Saturday marked the 67th fatality at the Dakar Rally. It was the first time since 2010 that a spectator has been killed.

afp/sid (jc)