Horrific accident, one dead at the Ózd Rally 2022
A tragic accident happened during the last rapid stage of the Ózd Rally 2022. Things happened only in seconds. Sorrowfully, one spectator remained dead on the scene. Below you may read the statement of Hero Kft., the rally’s organiser, about the tragedy.
According to their statement, a contestant duo suffered an accident during the last round of the rapid phase. Later it became clear that there were no personal injuries. The next car stopped instantly, following the rules applied in such situations. They drivers jumped out of the vehicle to ascertain everybody was okay. However, a rally duo arriving after them could not stop and collided with the back of their car, Nemzeti Sport wrote.
As a result, the first car became uncontrollable, hitting a spectator. The middle-aged man left the spectators’ safety zone to provide help for the contestants suffering the accident before. However, he did not make it after the third car hit him. Since the events followed one another in only tens of seconds, the organisers did not have time to stop the race, Hero Kft. highlighted in their statement.
The Hungarian National Auto Sport Association (Magyar Nemzeti Autósport Szövetség), the rally branch and the organiser Hero Kft. also expressed their condolences towards the relatives of the diseased.
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That is not the first time a deadly accident happened during a rally in Hungary. During the I. Ralda Rallye Sprint competition organised near Nagykálló, Northeastern Hungary, a car left the track and hit several spectators between Nagykálló and Újfehértó, automotor.hu said.
The ambulance took nine people to the hospital. One of them was taken to Debrecen with the help of an ambulance helicopter. However, one suffered fatal injuries, and doctors could not save his life.
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On 22 April 1995, something similar happened during the fast phase of the MOL Salgó Rally near Kisterenye. A Lada driven by Andor Tisza and István Nagy drifted off the road and fell on spectators standing in a restricted area. Five people were injured, one of them suffered serious chest damages and unfortunately died later. Another car caught fire, its drivers were saved only by the fireproof overall they wore, rally24.hu said.
If planning to watch a rally competition on the spot, you should always consider the safety rules and never leave the spectator zone of the track.
Source: rally24.hu, automotor.hu, Nemzeti Sport