In the late hours of the previous night, a tragic accident claimed the life of renowned Croatian Olympian, Antonio Rački. This heartbreaking news was confirmed by his father and ex-coach, Antun Rački.
Antun, overwhelmed with sorrow and shock, shared some details of the tragic incident. “It was a horrifying accident,” he began, “We are all severely shaken by the news. However, amidst the tragedy, there was a glimmer of fortune. My grandson, who was also riding in the car at the time of the accident, miraculously survived. The doctors have informed us that he has sustained several fractures but is in a stable condition. The exact cause of the accident is still unclear to me, apart from what has been reported by the media. I’ve heard that the vehicle was allegedly traveling at a high speed. We are all deeply affected by this news,” a grief-stricken Antun expressed.
It’s noteworthy that Antonio Rački had represented Croatia in the Winter Olympics held in Lillehammer, Norway, in 1994, and later in Nagano, Japan, in 1998.
Status of Other Accident Victims
The hospital communicated that two patients, aged 23 and 60, were admitted to the Institute for Orthopedics and Traumatology of KBC Ri, while another patient, aged 20, is currently in the surgery department. “All three patients are stable and their lives are not in danger,” reported Grgo Martinović, the acting head of the Institute for Orthopedics and Traumatology.
Recall that the fatal accident took place around 21:40 on DC 404 within the Pećine tunnel in Rijeka. The accident resulted in the death of two Croatian citizens and injuries to three others, as announced by the PU of Primorsko-Goranska.
The accident involved a collision between a car and a truck, both bearing registration plates from Rijeka. The investigation is being led by the deputy municipal state attorney. Preliminary findings suggest that the 19-year-old driver of the car was driving at an excessive speed from Vežica towards the center of Rijeka. He lost control of his vehicle while navigating a tricky bend, causing it to veer onto the left side of the road and collide head-on with a truck coming from the opposite direction, driven by a 62-year-old man.
The impact was so severe that it caused the car to spin uncontrollably on the road, resulting in three passengers being thrown out of the vehicle. Two of these passengers, aged 19 and 50, succumbed to their injuries on the spot, while the driver and the third passenger sustained injuries.
