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Two killed in Dakar rally crash involving British team | Two killed in Dakar rally crash involving British team |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two people have been in killed in Peru in a head-on collision involving a support vehicle for the Dakar rally. | Two people have been in killed in Peru in a head-on collision involving a support vehicle for the Dakar rally. |
The victims were travelling in a taxi which hit a Land Rover from a British team of injured army veterans. Seven people - three of them Britons - were injured in the crash. | The victims were travelling in a taxi which hit a Land Rover from a British team of injured army veterans. Seven people - three of them Britons - were injured in the crash. |
Peruvian police are investigating the circumstances of the accident. | Peruvian police are investigating the circumstances of the accident. |
The Dakar is billed as the world's toughest race. It has been staged in South America since 2009. | The Dakar is billed as the world's toughest race. It has been staged in South America since 2009. |
Three members of the British team, Race2Recovery, were flown to hospital in Lima. They are reported to be "stable and conscious" with injuries described as "non-life-threatening". | Three members of the British team, Race2Recovery, were flown to hospital in Lima. They are reported to be "stable and conscious" with injuries described as "non-life-threatening". |
The men were named as Justin Birchall, 40, a team driver and civilian volunteer from Burnley, Lancashire, whose vehicle retired earlier in the race, former Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer and Gulf War and Falklands war veteran Lee Townsend, a team mechanic, from Yate near Bristol, and retired Army Major John Winskill, 42, the team logistics expert, who is from Durrington, near Salisbury, Wiltshire. | |
Four passengers from the taxi are also being treated in hospital. | Four passengers from the taxi are also being treated in hospital. |
Another taxi overturned while swerving to avoid the crash wreckage, but no-one in this vehicle is thought to have been seriously hurt. | Another taxi overturned while swerving to avoid the crash wreckage, but no-one in this vehicle is thought to have been seriously hurt. |
Race2Recovery, which raises funds for military charities, said their vehicle had been travelling a convoy of support vehicles. | Race2Recovery, which raises funds for military charities, said their vehicle had been travelling a convoy of support vehicles. |
The team leader, Captain Tony Harris, said: "Our hearts go out to the families and relatives of those who have died in this tragic accident and we offer them our condolences and sympathy." | The team leader, Captain Tony Harris, said: "Our hearts go out to the families and relatives of those who have died in this tragic accident and we offer them our condolences and sympathy." |
Captain Harris, who lost a lower leg while serving in Afghanistan, said that the team had agreed to continue the race. | Captain Harris, who lost a lower leg while serving in Afghanistan, said that the team had agreed to continue the race. |
"The team decided before we even started that we would continue our endeavour. This is obviously a huge shock but we know that we have the blessing of the injured. They want the team to finish." | "The team decided before we even started that we would continue our endeavour. This is obviously a huge shock but we know that we have the blessing of the injured. They want the team to finish." |
The rally began in Lima on Saturday and will finish in southern Chile on 20 January. | The rally began in Lima on Saturday and will finish in southern Chile on 20 January. |
It was moved to South America after the 2008 race along the former route - from Paris to Dakar - was abandoned because of threats to the competitors from armed groups in North Africa. | It was moved to South America after the 2008 race along the former route - from Paris to Dakar - was abandoned because of threats to the competitors from armed groups in North Africa. |
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