Two competitors tragically lost their lives in a fatal crash during the Sligo Rally, leading to a somber day for the sport, and the incident occurred during the Sligo Stages Rally, leading to an accident investigation.
Accident at the rally in Sligo
Motorsport Ireland, the governing body of Irish motorsport, has launched an extensive investigation following the tragic incident during the Sligo Rally. Tragically, the competing crew lost their lives in a fatal accident on the sixth stage of the rally. The unfortunate incident happened at the Carrickbanagher stage, situated between Ballymote and Collooney, at around 3pm on Sunday afternoon.
Both the driver and the passenger in the car suffered fatal injuries when the vehicle collided with the wall. Reports indicate the people involved were from Ulster and the driver was in his 30s.
Earlier in the day, amid wet conditions, more than 130 crews navigated the 10.60km stage. The accident happened during the second run of the stage, when the conditions started to improve.
Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and lead crews, who were on their way to SS7 following the disruption to the service, were instructed to return to the service park in Sligo. At 4.20pm on Sunday afternoon, organizers Connacht Motor Club issued their first statement, confirming that the incident had occurred and subsequently halting the rally.
The bodies of the two men have been taken to University Hospital Sligo, where a post-mortem will be carried out in due course. Collision forensic experts also performed a technical inspection of the scene.
Authorities asked the public to refrain from sharing footage of the crash on social media or messaging apps. They urged individuals with video footage to make it available to gardaí. Investigating Gardaí can be contacted at Sligo Garda Station on 071 915 7000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Motorsport Ireland has expressed its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the two competitors and has launched a thorough investigation in cooperation with the relevant authorities to establish the circumstances of this tragic accident.
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What happened at the Sligo Rally today?
The Sligo Stages Rally was marred by a tragic incident which claimed the lives of two people, leaving Motorsport Ireland in a state of deep sadness. The heartbreaking accident prompted separate inquests into the untimely deaths of Gene McDonald, 35, from Co Cavan, and Daire Maguire, 46, from Co Fermanagh, who tragically crashed into a wall during the rally.
The event was brought to an abrupt halt in Carrowcushcly in Ballymote as the grim incident unfolded at around 3pm yesterday. Afterwards, the bodies were respectfully taken to University Hospital Sligo for a post-mortem scheduled for today. Art McCarrick, sporting manager of Motorsport Ireland, admitted his deep sadness at the “difficult and dark day” and urged the public not to share any videos or images of the incident, appealing for them to be removed and reported if found on social media.
McCarrick provided an insight into the experienced backgrounds of the contestants, with the driver amassing over 15 years’ experience and the co-driver over 20 years, both highly regarded regulars in the Border, Central and Western regions. Tragically, during the second pass of the road section, just before 3 pm, the car ran off the road and collided with a wall, resulting in the catastrophic loss of both the driver and passenger.
McCarrick emphasized the highest priority given to safety in motorsport, but still acknowledged the unfortunate reality that fatal accidents can happen in any sport, including their own. After the incident, the serious incident protocol was promptly activated, leading to the suspension of the event. At this stage, the impact of road conditions on the accident remains unknown and Motorsport Ireland and An Garda Síochána have launched an investigation to establish the facts surrounding this heartbreaking tragedy.
Who died in the Sligo Rally?
The heartbreaking incident took place during the sixth stage of the Sligo Stages Rally in Ballymote, County Sligo, when two lives were tragically lost in a car crash, as reported by Gardaí, the Irish police.
The devastating incident occurred around 3:00 pm local time on Sunday, casting a dark cloud over the gathering. Tragedy struck during a rally in County Sligo when Daire Maguire from County Fermanagh and Gene McDonald from County Cavan lost their lives in a devastating crash.
The sport’s governing body, Motorsport Ireland, expressed its deep sadness at the incident, highlighting the profound impact on the racing community. The fatal collision happened in Ballymote at around 15:00 local time on Sunday, during the sixth stage of the highly anticipated Sligo Stages Rally.
Unfortunately, both the driver and passenger succumbed to their injuries at the scene and were taken to University Hospital Sligo for a post mortem. Following this tragic event, separate investigations are underway, led by the Gardaí (Irish Police) and Motorsport Ireland, with the aim of shedding light on the circumstances of the accident.
Both the driver and passenger suffered fatal injuries when the vehicle collided with a wall. The bodies of the individuals were taken to Sligo University Hospital, where a post-mortem will be carried out. After the collision, the race was immediately stopped, and a detailed technical inspection of the scene is currently underway.
Gardaí have appealed to the public asking that any footage of the collision be shared with them exclusively and refrain from posting it on social media. In a heartfelt statement released on Sunday, Motorsport Ireland, the sport’s governing body, expressed its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the two competitors.
The statement goes on to extend its condolences to the members of the Connacht Motor Club and all those involved in the organization of the event, acknowledging their swift and professional response to the incident. Motorsport Ireland has launched an extensive investigation in conjunction with the relevant authorities to establish the circumstances of this tragic accident
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Categories: General
Source: HIS Education