Twelve-year-old girl becomes seventh victim of Galicia rally crash

The death of a 12-year-old girl in hospital from head injuries has raised the number of victims of an accident at a rally in A Coruña on Saturday to seven. The incident took place when one of the drivers competing in the race in the northwest of Spain lost control of his vehicle and slammed into a group of 20 or so spectators.

Two more people, one of whom is a minor, remain in a critical condition in hospital, while five more have other injuries. Another 10, who suffered minor injuries, were discharged from hospital on Sunday.

Two more people, one of whom is a minor, remain in a critical condition, while five more have other injuries

Meanwhile, autopsies have already been carried out on the six victims who died at the scene. Their funeral services are due to be held today.

According to Civil Guard sources, one of the six killed on Saturday was a female minor, while another three were women, two of whom were pregnant. The partner of one of the pregnant women was also killed.

The rally event had not been held for 14 years in A Coruña. “People group together on that straight because there is a spectacular bend there which the cars come sliding around,” one of the team members explained on Sunday.

It is still not known how the car lost control on the stretch of the course. The vehicle, a Peugeot 206 XS, moved toward the ditch on the right of the track when, in theory, it should have moved to the left. The car spun around, plowing into the crowd as it went.

The Civil Guard will be sending a specialized accident team to investigate the causes of the tragedy. The driver of the car, Sergio Taveayo, is said to be “devastated” by the events, according to the winner of the race, Iván Ares.

Residents of the nearby villages of Carral and Cambre, where the victims were from, are also said to be deeply affected by the tragedy

Residents of the nearby villages of Carral and Cambre, where the victims were from, are also said to be deeply affected by the tragedy.

“The Galician [rally] federation does not depend on the Spanish one,” explained Luis Moya, a former rally driver. “And as such, it doesn’t follow the criteria of the FIA [International Automobile Federation]. I don’t know how they have acted.

“The security chief has the power to change parts of the race if there is any danger,” Moya added. “He warns the race director and that part of the course will be removed.”

English version by Simon Hunter.