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Shinozuka injuries serious - SHINO IN COMA
Former Dakar winner Kenjiro Shinozuka has fallen into a coma following injuries sustained during a crash on the eighth stage of the Dakar on Thursday. Medical staff on site stated on France Television that his 'life was in danger'.
Shinozuka, aged 54 and Japan's most distinguished rally driver, and his French co-driver crashed their Nissan pickup on the 727-km stage between Ghat and Sabha in Libya.
"Vehicle number 201 suffered a serious accident at the 373rd kilometre of the stage. The car flew over a dune and landed several dozen metres further," organisers said in a statement minutes after the accident. "Driver Kenjiro Shinozuka is in a very serious condition and his navigator, Thierry Delli-Zotti, in a serious condition.
"Both men are being flown by helicopter to the race's medical headquarters in Sabha. Once their condition is stabilised, they will be airlifted to Tunis."
Shinozuka, who won the event in 1997 and with Delli-Zotti finished third last year, had been in third place overall after Wednesday's seventh stage, in which he finished eighth. The 54-year-old made his rally debut in 1967 and became the first Japanese driver to complete the Kenyan Safari Rally in 1976.
After claiming the Asia Pacific rally championship in 1988 he moved on to the world stage, competing in the world championship from 1989 to 1994 and again in 1996.
His victory in the Ivory Coast Rally in 1991 was the first by a Japanese driver and, with co-driver John Meadows, he repeated the victory the next year.
Shinozuka was a factory driver for Japanese car manufacturer Mitsubishi from 1971 until June when he retired rather than stop driving and take the management role he had been offered.
Delli-Zotti, 38, was taking part in his 16th Dakar Rally.
reuters / eurosport
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