Polish motorcycle racer Michal Hernik was found dead on the third day of 2015 Dakar Rally. The 39-year old Dakar debutant’s body was recovered 206 kilometres into the third stage, between San Juan and Chilecito in Argentina.
The race officials issued a statement saying they sent out a search party for Henrik when the GPS signal from his KTM 450 Rally Replica was lost. Forty minutes later, the helicopter found Henrik’s body around 270 metres away from the race route.
The onboard doctor could only confirm Henrik’s demise, and the circumstances of his death are still uncertain. Having completed two stages of the rally, Henrik was running on 84th position of the overall rankings.
Formerly known as Paris-Dakar Rally, the Dakar rally is an annual endurance race which is conducted over 13 stages. Since the gruelling rally first took place in 1979, over 50 competitors and spectators have lost their lives. Henrik is the fifth competitor to die since the rally was moved to South America, in 2009.
