- Title: MALAYSIA: FIVE PEOPLE KILLED AS CAR SMASHES INTO CROWD AT MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX
- Date: 25th April 1977
- Summary: 1. GV POLICE AND OFFICIALS STANDING AROUND ACCIDENT DEBRIS 2 ft 2. SV CRASHED CAR 3 ft 3. CU BURNT CUT TIRE ON CRASHED CAR (2 SHOTS) 8 ft 4. SV INJURED CHILDREN BEING CARRIED TO AMBULANCE (2 SHOTS) 12 ft 5. SV INJURED CHILDREN BRING CARRIED TO AMBULANCE (2 SHOTS) 21 ft 6. SCU ALBERT PUN IN CAR BEFORE GRAND PRIX RACE 22 ft 7. SV JOHN MCDONALD BEING ASSISTED IN PITS BEFORE RACE 24 ft 8. GV START OF GRAND PRIX RACE 27 ft 9. SV PATRICK THAMBAY (CAR NO. 5) LEAVING THROUGH FIELD TOWARDS LEAD (2 SHOTS) 36 ft 10. SV THAMBAY LEADING FIELD (5 SHOTS) 47 ft 11. SV THAMBAY CROSSING FINISHING LINE IN FIRST PLACE 50 ft 12. SV NEWSMEN TAKING PHOTOS PAN TO THAMBAY OPENING BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE 53 ft 13. SV THAMBAY POSING WITH GIRLS FOR NEWS PHOTOS 55 ft Initials SPORT: CAR RACING Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 10th May 1977 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- Country: Malaysia
- Reuters ID: LVA91H677F96J04VO2W2RM9GA1VN
- Story Text: Five people were killed when a racing car spun out of control and ploughed into spectators at the Malaysia Grand Prix.
The cause of the accident is suspected to be a tire blow out which occurred on the fourth lap of the twenty five lap race for super saloons.
Four of those killed were children, two of them sisters. Eighteen other people were injured in the accident. A police spokesman said the tragedy was the worst racing disaster in the history of Malaysian racing.
Despite the accident the main fifty lap Grand Prix event went ahead as scheduled, with the Hong Kong based Theodore Racing Team taking line honours.
Driving for the Theodore Team, Frenchman Patrick Thambay in car number five.....??? March 752.....was forced to begin at the back of the rid. However, making good use of his fine driving expertise he managed to weave his way through the field and by the fourth lap he was sitting ??? place.
During the sixth lap, Thambay screamed to the lead after former leader, New Zealander John McDonald, retired to the pits when his car developed a metering unit fault.
Steve Millen of New Zealand took second place in a Chevron B35 with Hong Kong's Albert Poon in third position driving a Chevron B39.
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