Jim Clark Rally: Police Statement 31 | 05 | 2014
JIM CLARK RALLY — POLICE PRESS CONFERENCE
THIS IS A TRANSCRIPT OF the police press conference held by Superintendent Phil O'Kane, of Police Scotland, at Newtown, St Boswells Saturday evening (Read full story — Three die in Jim Clark Rally crash):
"At approximately 14h05, during the Eccles stage of the Jim Clark Rally, close to Crosshall Farm, there was an accordant involving a vehicle coming off the road and striking five people, one female and four male.
"As a consequence of that accident, one male remains in intensive care and has been transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
"Two males sustained fractures and are currently within the Borders General Hospital. One female received minor injuries and has been discharged, and one male received minor injuries and has been discharged.
"At approximately 16h07, at Little Swinton, there was another accident, and again it involved another car leaving the road and striking four of the spectators.
"This involved one female and three males. Tragically, three of those people — one female and two males — died at the scene.
"Police Scotland are co-ordinating a multi-agency response to this incident. We have had full support from the Scottish Borders Council, the organising committee of the Jim Clark Rally, and our investigations continue at this time to fully understand what went wrong in order to report the maters to the Procurator Fiscal.
"Our inquiries are continue using to identify where the deceased came from. I have no details of them at the moment.
"At the moment we can't speculate as to how the fatal accident happened. That full investigation will be conducted as part of our inquiry.
"After the first incident, that section of the rally was stopped, and then the rally progressed to the next section. Full consideration was taken of safety and the organising committee, in full discussion with the police and other partners and agencies, suspended that part of the rally at that time.
"I should also say the Jim Clark rally has been abandoned, and that is in full sympathy following the tragic circumstances that bring us here tonight.
"I have no specific details of where the spectators who died were standing. That will be part of our inquiries to determine where they were.
"The decision for a Fatal Accident Inquiry will rest with the Lord Advocate, so we will conduct our investigation thoroughly and report to the Fiscal, and then it will a Crown Office decision.
"The Jim Clark Rally is a legislated event, it's a unique event and the responsibility rests with the organising committee. There is an Act of Parliament specific to the Jim Clark Rally, and all safety considerations are the responsibility of the organising committee.
"But I do know it is well stewarded. Safety is a very big consideration in the planning of it.
"We, as Police Scotland, are involved with that planning as a supporting agency.
"The event is very popular and attracts many people from all over the UK in terms of following motorsport.
"The fourth person was transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and remains in the high dependency unit at this time."
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Jim McGill