DAKAR 2024

Carles Falcón, Spanish driver, dies after a serious accident in the 2024 Dakar Rally

Carles Falcón, a 45-year-old Catalan driver who suffered an accident while competing in the 46th edition of the Dakar Rally, died today due to injuries caused by the fall, which occurred in the second stage.

Irreversible neurological damage..."The medical team has confirmed that the neurological damage caused by the cardiorespiratory arrest at the time of the accident is irreversible. It has left us," the TwinTrail team reported in a statement.

"Carlos was a smiling person, always active, who passionately enjoyed everything he did, especially motorcycles. He left us doing something that was his dream, running the Dakar. He was enjoying it, he was happy on the motorcycle. We must remember him for his smile and for the happiness he generated in everyone," they add.

Serious fall in the second stage...The misfortune came in the second stage when, after a fall in a fast area at the end of the special, Falcón suffered a strong impact to the head that caused cardiorespiratory arrest.

Alexandre Azinhais was the first pilot to reach his position, he detected that he had no pulse and performed resuscitation maneuvers for 15 minutes while the doctors arrived. The doctors managed to revive him and transfer him to a hospital where the first tests were performed and an initial diagnosis was offered: cerebral edema (for which coma was induced) and a fracture in the C2 vertebra that required urgent intervention. His condition was then declared serious.

The diagnosis was later expanded with new fractures in the ribs, clavicle and wrist. His condition was serious and the intervention for the vertebral fracture was postponed since the cerebral edema prevented it.

Three days ago, doctors at the Riyadh hospital authorized the transfer of Falcón to Spain, already in critical condition, where new check-ups were carried out, until today the sad news of his death was communicated.

He left his profession for his passion... Carles Falcón was a computer scientist by profession, but he embarked on a life project guided by his passion for motorcycles. From there was born the company TwinTrail, which he founded together with his teammate Isaac Feliú, who was accompanying him in this his second Dakar.

They had precisely returned to the Saudi race after a first traumatic experience for Feliú, who also suffered a severe fall that led to a brain injury that kept him in a coma for a few weeks, although he was finally able to recover and resume the project of completing the Dakar Rally.

The Dakar Rally joins the mourning for Falcón... At 6:47 p.m., the Dakar Rally organization has published a statement in which they regret the loss of Carles Falcón and send "their deepest condolences to the family and friends of him."

"During the second stage special between Al Henakiyah and Al Duwadimi, the driver suffered a heavy fall at km 448," explains ASO, the race's organizing company. "The emergency services arrived quickly and were able to confirm the seriousness of his condition. Carles was airlifted to Al Dawadimi hospital and then evacuated to Riyadh hospital, before being repatriated to Spain a few days later."

"Despite the efforts of the health personnel, the pilot has died due to the consequences of the accident," concludes the official statement of the Dakar, which will have a memory for the Spanish pilot in the daily briefing with all the pilots to review the stage. in the morning.

Reporting: Enrique Naranjo