Black flag on "Beijing Express".
In the middle of filming, on September 21 in Turkey, two stages before the outcome, an 82-year-old motorist swerved from his road and hit the car of a team of hitchhiking candidates head on as well as the production vehicle that followed. behind, on the side of the seaside city of Antalya, in the south of the country.
The channel waited to have the police report, which clears the production, before communicating on the circumstances of this tragedy.
Report that we were also able to consult in which it is indicated that the drivers of the program "had not committed any violation" of the Highway Code.
“It happened on a hill, our cars were traveling at 57 km / h on a road limited to 80, specifies an executive of M 6. And all had seat belts.
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Two candidates left the game
Under the shock of the accident, the two participants were injured, just like the cameraman, and left the game on medical decision.
One of them, who received stitches, was hospitalized for three nights.
He was able to perform in-depth examinations (MRI, scanner) before being repatriated to France and benefiting from psychological support.
The Turkish driver in question died of his injuries in hospital, without knowing the reasons for his misconduct.
"Toxicological studies have been carried out on the victim, but only family members have access to this information", adds an official of the chain, who brings "all his support to the bereaved family".
On the spot, the race refereed by Stéphane Rotenberg was stopped a day before resuming its course and going to its end, in Istanbul.
This is not the only unforeseen event of this fourteenth edition of “Beijing Express” which is struggling to be completed.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, filming had already been interrupted for the first time in Ethiopia, last March.
Given the health restrictions, production then had to review its route and fall back on Europe.
Exit Africa and the final in Dubai!
It is in Greece that the candidates set out again on the roads at the beginning of September, before joining Turkey.