Driver and bystander seriously injured at Vlagtwedde racing event

Two people were seriously injured during a street racing event in Vlagtwedde in Groningen on Saturday when a motorcycle racer crashed and hit a bystander. The police report the crash involved a 44-year-old motorcyclist from Winschoten and a 72-year-old man from Germany.

The organization Historische TT Vlagtwedde said in a statement that after his fall, the driver slid tens of meters over the asphalt, ended up under a crush barrier and hit a spectator there. "The emergency services, including the trauma helicopter, arrived quickly on the spot. Both victims were approachable and were rushed to a hospital."

The police are investigating the cause of the accident. According to the organizers, the engine and the road surface were in order. The driver in question may have been overcome by the heat, according to the Historic TT. The event was shut down after the incident. The driver has suffered several broken bones, the organization reported.