Belarus crew crashes at Dakar-2009 rally, pilot rushed to hospital

The crew of the Belarusian team FlexGroup crashed on route of the Dakar-2009 rally.
Pilot Sergei Shkel was airlifted to a hospital in Santiago with spine injuries. Doctors are yet to announce the final diagnosis. Navigator Alexander Taranenko was not injured, reports the Belapan news agency quoting the press office of the Belarusian embassy in Argentina.


The accidedent took place while overcoming a dune. The Belarusian truck flipped over and was heavily damaged. The crew was airlifted by a helicopter to a nearby camp where it received the first medical aid.