The Range Rover ITT of French team René Boubet-Patrick Canado, supporting vehicle of Yamaha team, and the Mercedes-Benz 280 of Italian team Klaus Seppi-Ambrogio Azzuffi collided at full speed in a large desert road, some 25 kilometers after the start from Arlit in territory of Niger, of the eighth stage Djado-Agadez of the 1988 Rallye Paris-Alger-Dakar, on Saturday, 09 January of that year. Reportedly, due to steering problems, Boubet's car suddenly swerved, hit the other car and rolled over several times. Boubet was seriously injured, his co-driver Patrick Canado was thrown out of the car and was killed upon impact.
The 10th running of the Dakar Rally event, held in 1988 proved to be one of the worst in history, the toll being seven people killed during the stages. Patrick Canado was one of three competitors, the other deceased persons were four spectators. Belgian rider André Malherbe fell near Tamanrasset, Algeria, suffering severe injuries that would have left him paralyzed. PanAfrican news agency, representing the Dakar Rally organizers publicly stated that the four spectator deaths were “insignificant for the organizers”, attracting immense criticism from the Vatican.
R.I.P
