A hydroplane pilot is between life and death after suffering a serious accident in Baie Saint-François, where a race was being held as part of the last day of the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield Regattas.
The skid occurred around 2:30 p.m. when the victim, a pilot from Sherbrooke, was thrown into the air after a turn.
The hydroplane race, which involves machines capable of traveling at 250 km/h while flying on the surface of the water, took place on a closed circuit.
A video obtained by The Press shows the boat in the air, twirling.
“After the second bend, in the Bay, the hydroplanes are facing the wind, so it happens quite frequently at this precise location that there are flipsaccidents,” testified Alex, who was in the front row of the drama, on his paddle board.
The Sûreté du Québec confirms that the pilot suffered serious injuries that put his life in danger. Investigators will go to the scene to clarify the causes and circumstances of the accident.
Competitions were cancelled for the remainder of the day.
The 84e edition of the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield Regatta was particularly popular this year as the host city of the event, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, celebrates its 150th anniversary.