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Bad weather named main reason of accident with Italian motor racer in Moscow region

A storm warning was declared two hours before the motor race in Moscow and the Moscow Region
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, July 22 (Itar-Tass) - The extremely bad weather caused a fatal accident, in which Italian motorcycle racer Andrea Antonelli died at the Moscow Raceway, which is the superbike world championship held in the Moscow region on Sunday. This is the main theory and almost the only one of his death, a source in the Russian law enforcement agencies told Itar-Tass on Monday.

“All points to the fact that the bad weather caused the accident,” the source said.

A storm warning was declared two hours before the motor race in Moscow and the Moscow Region, as heavy rains, sometimes a thunderstorm with torrential rains were expected. The Ministry of Emergency Situations warned about a possible disruption of the operations of power facilities, the communications lines and public utilities, as well as the traffic.

Meanwhile, other theories of the accident are being inquired. Still the term of inquiry is three days, but it is not ruled out that it will be extended to ten days.

The main investigation department of the Russian Investigative Committee in the Moscow region told Itar-Tass that “an inquiry prior to the investigation continues.”

The investigating agencies of the Russian Investigative Committee received at about 15:30 Moscow time on Sunday the news report that a fatal accident occurred at the Moscow Raceway in the Volokolamsk district of the Moscow region in the qualification run of the race. According to the preliminary reports, a motorcycle racer lost control of the wheel and stuck in the barrier at a high speed and died later in the hospital despite the medical aid given to him.