Czech driver Alesh Loprais who killed a spectator in his Praga during the ninth stage of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday, said he was “terribly sorry” for the incident.
A video is circulating on social media, which shows how the viewer got in the way of a multi-ton car and out of sight of crew number 508, which landed on a person from a dune. An Italian fan was sent to hospital after the dune incident but died during evacuation.
“We found out when we arrived at the bivouac. We were about to lay down when the marshals pulled us out, saying they had a case that we hit a man who was trying to take a picture somewhere behind the dune.
He was injured, and two hours later felt ill and had a heart attack while being taken to hospital. So… Human life is extinguished. I did my job, I turned the steering wheel. I have to say that I was completely unaware of what had happened. None of the crew knew. However, we have videos to prove it.
This man was Italian, he came to see the Dakar and, unfortunately, found a place under the dune there, and we didn’t notice him at all. None of us. With that, I would like to express my condolences to his family, loved ones and friends. I’m terribly sorry and it will be with me for the rest of my life,” Loprais said in a video he posted on social media.
Loprais, who turned 43 on January 10, is the truck leader after nine rounds of the Dakar. Cech is 26 minutes 54 seconds ahead of Dutchman Janus van Kasteren.
The Dakar takes place in Saudi Arabia from December 31 to January 15. The tenth stage of the marathon rally will take place on Wednesday.
Source : MatchTV
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