French Dakar Rally driver dies from injuries after crash

Moscow: Pierre Cherpin, a French national and a driver in the Dakar Rally Raid, has passed away five days after sustaining injuries from a fall during the 7th stage Dakar Rally, the organizers said on Friday.

The motorist, aged 52, fell on the 178th kilometer (110 mile) of the seventh stage, as a result of which he received a serious head injury. He was taken to a hospital in Sakaki, where he underwent surgery and was put into an induced coma.

“During his transfer by medical plane from Jeddah to France, Pierre Cherpin died from the injuries caused by his fall during the 7th stage from Ha’il to Sakaka on January 10th,” the organizers said.

The statement added that the deceased driver was participating in his fourth Dakar rally ride, the previous times were 2009, 2012, and 2015. In the ongoing ride, Cherpin held the 77th position in the general standings in the 6th stage of the raid.

The Dakar Rally ride is held annually since 1979. It was staged from Paris to the Senegalese capital of Dakar, but in 2009 the organizers replaced the ride in South America due to security threats in Mauritania. Last year’s edition was organized in Saudi Arabia. (UNI)