A photographer is killed during a rally in Corsica – The World

Stephane Giraudi was struck Saturday by a competitor of the rally racing Mare è Machja, which takes place on the south shore of the gulf of Ajaccio.

A freelance photographer, Stephane Giraudi, was killed Saturday morning, hit by a car participating in the rally racing Mare è Machja (” sea and ” maquis “), which takes place on the south shore of the gulf of Ajaccio (Corse-du-Sud).

The accident took place in the late morning during a special between Marato and Bellevalle, at a place called Silvareccio. Stephane Giraudi was mowed down by a competitor to the reception of a bump and died on the spot. According to Eric Bouillard, a prosecutor of the Republic of Ajaccio, the man was ” in a place that was not allowed to the public “.

The rally was immediately stopped. An investigation has been opened by the prosecutor of Ajaccio and entrusted to the gendarmes to determine the precise circumstances of the accident. Stephane Giraudi was a native of Haute-Corse and was going to be 50 years old in a few days. He was a regular at rallies, which he published dozens of pictures on its page Facebook.

First edition

In a state of shock, the pilot and the copilot involved in the accident were referred to the hospital of Ajaccio. One hundred and forty teams were engaged in the race, it was the first edition. The rally was the party of Porticcio (Corse-du-Sud) on Saturday morning.

” The rally is cancelled, with the agreement of all pilots and the services of the prefecture and the gendarmerie “, has announced Christian Leca, president of the Association sportive automobile club of Corsica (Asacc) Tour de Corse and the organizer of the race. He expressed his sadness : ” It was a celebration of motor sport that has unfortunately ended in tragedy. “

” It was very nice, we had a wonderful time. All the means of security were also raised, has insisted the organizer of the race. in Everything was OK and the race was going well, but the imponderable is occurring. That’s the drama for this photographer who has lost the life. “

Several fatalities

Several fatal accidents to the public or drivers that took place in the margins of races coast or rallies during the past twenty years in France. Among the more serious, on July 14, 1996, five people died and thirty were injured, including eight seriously, when the output drive a car on the circuit de rallycross of Essay (Orne). The car came to a stop on an embankment where there were many spectators.

On September 23, 2000, five people, including a child, were killed over the course of the 13^e motor Rally of Cerisiers (Yonne), when an accident is caused by an exit ramp. A vehicle collided with an electricity pole that fell on the spectators.
may 14, 2016, a 50 year old man and his son, aged 10 years old were killed by a car out of his path during the trials of a race of coast held at Istres (Bouches-du-Rhone), about fifty kilometers from Marseille. A driver lost control of his car and crashed into the public, also making two minor injuries.

A photographer died 19 may 2007, hit by a car at the rallye Alsace-Vosges, in Denipaire, Vosges).