A tragic accident occurred at the season opener of the Czech Rally Championship

During the first stage of the season-opening Rally Sumava Klatovy of the Czech Rally Championship, the pair starting with car number 55 had an accident. During the accident, both the pilot and the navigator were hospitalized, but unfortunately the navigator died there.

The Rally Sumava Klatovy started in very difficult conditions on Saturday morning at 11:25, which was originally an asphalt race, but due to the snow in the morning, the start of the first stage had to be postponed by 20 minutes, but finally the race started, a 12.46 km with its speed, the first half of which was rain and the second half was snow.

On this stage, Jaroslav Krejcik and Alena Krejcikova, starting with Subaru Impreza STi N14 with starting number 55, had an accident when they slid off the road into a field, where they had an accident. An ambulance was immediately called for the couple and the navigator was taken to the hospital by rescue helicopter, where unfortunately, despite the medical care, his life could not be saved.

“The lady suffered very serious injuries,” said Mária Svobodová, the spokesperson for the ambulance service, to Lidovky.cz. “He was transported to Plzeň-Lochotín Hospital in an unconscious state, with an airway secured after resuscitation.”

However, the 41-year-old navigator lost his life there.

“Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the doctors, the woman died of her injuries in the hospital,” said police spokesman Ondřej Hodan after 4 p.m.

The 45-year-old pilot was also taken to the hospital for examination.

The pair have been racing since 2019 and have started all their rally races with this car.

After the tragedy, the organizers of the competition canceled the afternoon program and held a meeting in the evening about the continuation of the competition on Sunday, and finally the competition ended after the third stage.