A woman has died and a man seriously injured after being hit by a rally car participating in the competition being held this weekend on north of Gran Canaria, in the municipality of Gáldar. The vehicle left the road and travelled a few meters up a hillside, running over a small group of people who were there watching the event. The rally was suspended shortly afterwards.

The 112 Government of the Canary Islands Emergency Coordination Centre (CECOES) reported that the Rally Comarca Norte 2022 had several sessions planned for Saturday, July 23.

The Gáldar City Council has confirmed the death of one woman, who died in a tragic accident during the Rally event, after the car involved left the road running over at least two fans who had been watching the event on a high slope, on the Anzo road, in the Gran Canaria municipality of Gáldar .

Emergency personnel rushed to the scene, but despite their efforts, they were unable to save one of the victims due to the seriousness of her injuries. The other was left in critical condition.

The 112 Canarias Emergency Coordination Centre indicated that they have not participated in the emergency deployment as the competition organisers had their own in place.

The young fan who died on Saturday morning has been identified with the initials AGS, 18 years old, and the other injured individual in the accident, is a 19-year-old with initials JOS, who was taken straight to surgery at hospital and, in principle, his life was not thought to be in further danger, according to several sources related to the organisation of the event. Both were on a mound of earth when they were struck by a vehicle travelling at speed on the Gáldar stretch, near Anzo.

The accident occurred around 10:30 a.m. when vehicle number 44, a Toyota Starlet 1.3, was heading into the final kilometres of the third special stage, starting in El Agazal and finishing in the Gáldar ravine. In a rapid descent, the pilot faced a link between right and left curves, lost control of the vehicle and left the road, climbing onto a piece of land to his right some three meters higher than the track.

The couple were sitting on the top of the embankment, an area that is usually considered safe for fans, when the car ran over them, causing serious injuries. The vehicle traveled several more meters, almost striking more spectators, before finally overturning and dropping back onto the asphalt, the driver and co-driver were able to exit the vehicle unharmed from the passenger side.

Organisers immediately halted the event section and mobilised medical resources, mandatory at each of the sections. Fans themselves reported the incident to the 112 Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (Cecoes), which in turn dispatched up to three ambulances from the SUC Canarian Emergency Service. However, upon arrival at the scene, the person in charge told them that there were medical resources from the organisation itself attending to the wounded, according to the 112 report.

The two spectators were evacuated to different hospitals in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the death of AGC confirmed minutes later due to the seriousness of her injuries. For his part, JOS has had to undergo surgery for hip injuries, according to sources consulted.

The rally organisation, as soon as it became aware of the death of the fan, proceeded to suspend the rest of the test as a sign of mourning.

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