It has been a tough start for the organisers of the 2016 Dakar Rally with the Prologue being neutralised after a car left the course, colliding with a number spectators, before the opening day of racing was cancelled due to an electrical storm.
At km 6.6 of the prologue special linking Buenos Aires to Rosario, at 5.59pm, a competitor left the road harming several spectators.
The local forces and the rally organisation immediately reacted jointly dispatching their means on site.
Four helicopters and five medical vehicles of the organisation as well as ten local ambulances went to the site of the accident. The joint means of the organisation and the local forces took care and evacuated four casualties of which two are severe.
Organisers later released an update on the incident reporting that a 10 year old boy and his father were in a stable condition, while another spectator who was stable, condition worsened and they were transferred to another hospital while a fourth spectator has been treated for a broken femur.
With all motorcycle riders completing the prologue before it was cancelled due to the accident, all results for bike and quad riders from the day will remain with Honda's Joan Barreda leading the way from Husqvarna's Ruben Faria and Yamaha's Helder Rodrigues.
Australia's Toby Price racing for the Red Bull KTM Factory team finished the day in 16th as the top twenty riders were separated by less than 20 seconds.
