A spectator at an off-road race organized in the Rhodope village of Smilyan was hit by a racing jeep. This was reported by the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Smolyan.
The injured 60-year-old man was transported by air ambulance to a hospital in Plovdiv. He suffered chest and abdominal injuries, his condition is life-threatening, BTA was told by the Emergency Department at the Smolyan Hospital.
The injured person is the father of one of the competitors in the off-road race. The incident occurred on a private property along the route in the area of the village of Gorovo in the territory of the Rudozem municipality, the police in Smolyan specified. The circumstances surrounding the collision are being clarified. One of the versions of the case is that the spectator tried to cross the track, slipped and fell, and the jeep hit him in reverse, according to information from the Smilyan city hall.
The police were only informed about the competition, the organization and security of the event are monitored by stewards, the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs specified.
The competition is being held for the 10th year by the local off-road club in the village of Smilyan, the city hall explained.