“He died of a pulmonary edema, which caused a respiratory and cardiac arrest. His body showed no signs of blows or dehydration,” said police official Julio Acosta, according to the Argentine media.
The Normandy-born competitor was found dead yesterday by the rally organizers, some 100 meters off the route from Sta Rosa de la Pampa to Puerto Madryn. Terry went missing after the second stage of the Dakar Rally, on Sunday.
“It is with great sadness that the organization has been informed that rider Pascal Terry (192), 49 years old, has been found dead in the night of January 6th to 7th at 2:10 AM. The biker was in a very hard-to-reach area in the middle of very dense bush-like vegetation 15m from his bike. He had taken his helmet off and had sought shade; he had food and water by him,” showed the statement released by the Amaury Sport Organisation on Wednesday, after finding the body.
According to ASO, the 49-year old Frenchman sent the organizers an emergency signal during the course of Sunday evening. However, due to some wrong reports showing that Terry had reported back to the Dakar caravan at the end of Stage 4, the organizers ceased all search efforts.
Pascal Terry became the first victim of the 2009 Dakar Rally, while also the 26th participant to lose his life in the famous competition throughout the years.
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