/ 1 February 2005

One spectator killed, nine injured at rally in Lithuania

Organisers of the Rally of Visaginas on defended themselves on Monday, saying safety precautions were adequate for the weekend event despite a crash which killed one bystander and left nine others hospitalised.

Tomas Baltramiejunas veered off the road and crashed into an area for spectators on Saturday.

Virgilijus Danilevicius (46) died in a hospital. Other onlookers suffered various injuries. Two of them remained in critical condition on Monday.

The accident happened in Visaginas, 130km northeast of the capital Vilnius, in snowy conditions.

”This rally had very clear safety rules. Onlookers were not allowed to stand at dangerous junction corners,” said Gintautas Slederis, spokesperson of Nemuno Ziedas company, which staged the rally.

About 230 police officers were present at the event, four security cars drove ahead of each leg of the race and spectators were warned to be careful, according to Slederis.

Police were investigating the crash. – Sapa-AP