A French national, a motorist, suffered a lower limb injury from a vehicle detonation near Jeddah. Post-surgical care in Saudi Arabia precedes his return to France, the Dakar organizers declared. Meanwhile, Saudi officials have rejected foul play as the incident’s cause.
Event organizers acknowledged the possibility of sabotage and heightened security around the encampment. However, the Saudi Interior Minister refuted any suggestion of criminal intent, classifying the event as an “incident.” Five French citizens occupied the support vehicle; one, now recovering, received medical attention. The official statement detailed: “The driver incurred a severe leg wound necessitating surgery. His health is improving. His conveyance was disabled by an explosion; its genesis remains undetermined. A Saudi investigator promptly responded, concluding that malicious intent was improbable.” Race supervisor, David Castera, identified the injured individual as Philippe Boutron, 61.
