South African motorcyclist Elmer Symons was killed in an accident during the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday, race organisers announced.
He was the first competitor to die during this year’s race.
The 679km fourth stage over rugged Moroccan desert terrain was from El Rachidia to Ouarzazate as the motorcycles and cars taking part in the annual race headed south for the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Organisers were informed during the morning that there had been an accident at kilometre 142 and a helicopter was despatched to the scene.
Doctors pronounced Symons dead when they arrived at the scene of the accident, organisers said in a communiqué.
Symons (29) was taking part in the race for the first time as a competitor, having twice completed the course as part of the back-up teams. He had been in 18th place overall at the time of the accident. — AFP
