'Dark day for our sport': Two competitors killed in Sligo Rally crash

Gardaí say they are now investigating all circumstances surrounding the incident at the rally. File picture: Dan Linehan

Motorsport Ireland, the governing body of Irish motorsport, has begun a full investigation after a competing crew lost their lives following a tragic accident on the sixth stage of the Sligo Rally on Sunday afternoon.

The fatal accident occurred on a stage named Carrickbanagher, a location between Ballymote and Collooney at approximately 3pm.

The two men, the driver and passenger in the car, both suffered fatal injuries when their vehicle collided with a wall.

It is believed that the men are Ulster based and that the driver was in his 30s.

Earlier in the morning and during wet conditions over 130 crews negotiated the 10.60km stage. The tragedy occurred during the second running of the stage as conditions improved. 

Emergency crews were deployed to the scene and the leading crews that were making their way to SS7 following the service halt were advised to return to the Sligo service park.

An initial statement by the organising Connacht Motor Club, issued at 4.20pm on Sunday afternoon, advised that an incident had taken place and that the rally was halted.

A garda spokesperson told the Irish Examiner that the bodies of the two men were removed to Sligo University Hospital where an autopsy will take place in due course.

A technical examination of the scene has also been carried out by forensic collision investigators this evening.

The spokesperson urged people not to share footage of the collision on social media or messaging applications. 

"Anyone with video footage is asked to make this available to gardaí," they said. 

"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 extended its deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the two competitors. It has also begun a full investigation with the relevant authorities to establish how this accident occurred.

Dark day

Motorsport Ireland sporting manager Art McCarrick said Sunday was "a very difficult and dark day for our sport". He also made an appeal to members of the public not to circulate video footage of the fatal accident but to share it with the gardaí.

When asked if the weather conditions had played a part in the fatal accident, Mr McCarrick told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that he did not think so. “We have a safety plan that's pre-approved prior to the event, which takes into account every eventuality."

He said motorsport can run in pretty much every condition in Ireland apart from snow. Appropriate tyres for wet conditions would have been used and participants drive according to the road conditions.

“We don't know yet if road conditions played a factor in the accident. There had been a full running of that stage previously without any incident. Matters like that will form part of the investigation which we ourselves have launched and also ongoing with the gardaí. 

"We are actively assisting them in their investigation. But a huge level of planning goes into an event like this. And tragically, you can still do all that planning. And the most vulnerable part of any car are the occupants.” 

Mr McCarrrick extended condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and those who had assisted at the scene of the accident, which happened at the sixth stage of the event when the car left the road and collided with a wall.

“We have, you know, a very strong safety record, driver safety and competitor safety here are front and centre of what we do.

“But unfortunately, accidents and fatal accidents can happen in any sport. And tragically, it was our sport yesterday. Immediately after the accident, our serious incident protocol was activated, but the event was halted as a result of the accident and eventually results were declared. And there's various formalities that have to be done on that side of things. 

Mr McCarrrick called on the public not to share any videos or images of the incident, saying "we believe there may be one or two circulating". He called for them to be removed or reported if seen on social media "and forwarded to both ourselves and the gardaí". 

Three other people also lost their lives on the roads in separate accidents over the weekend in Donegal, Tipperary, and Mayo.

In Mayo, Ciaran Keating, left, the brother of former Boyzone singer Ronan and father of Cork City FC footballer Ruairi Keating, died in a two-vehicle crash near on the N5 near Ballymiles.

Mr Keating and his wife Anne Marie, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, had been travelling to Sligo to watch their son play against Sligo Rovers.