Dakar Rally truck driver disqualified for hitting spectator

Andrey Karginov has been disqualified from the Dakar Rally after hitting a spectator with his truck and failing to stop on the fifth stage.

The Kamaz driver headed towards a group of spectators, who were standing outside the permitted zone, and were quickly forced into evading action as Karginov drove towards them. One of the spectators fell over and had his legs hit by the truck in front of shocked onlookers.

Dakar Rally officials confirmed a 60-year-old South African spectator suffered a broken femur and was airlifted to Arequipa hospital for treatment.

The #518 entry of Karginov, mechanic Igor Leonov and navigator Andrey Mokeev were disqualified from the event for the incident after finishing in third place on stage five.

“The competitor was excluded from the rally by the jury of commissioners for not stopping to attend the injured spectator,” a statement from Dakar Rally organisers confirmed.

In the Moto class, former Dakar Rally winner Sam Sunderland was awarded stage victory after stopping to help hurt rival Paulo Goncalves having suffered a head injury and a broken right hand in an incident 155km into the stage.

Sunderland is estimated to have lost 10 minute in his stop to assist Goncalves with organisers taking the time off his final stage time to promote him to first place. The Red Bull KTM rider now sits second in the general classification 59 seconds behind overall leader Ricky Brabec on the Monster Energy Honda.

In the car category, nine-time WRC champion Sebastian Loeb clinched victory on stage five but overall leader Nasser Al-Attiyah was able to extend his advantage out front for Toyota Gazoo Racing to 24 minutes and 42 seconds over nearest rival Stephane Peterhansel as the French driver hit trouble and was forced into a lengthy stop.