Communique 7 - Niamey, Niger
Wednesday 12 January 2000
Dakar 2000 Rest Day

Unexpected Rest Day
As Dakar 2000 Halted

For the first time in 22 years the Dakar Rally has been stopped in its tracks in Africa and four legs have been cancelled. Because of the possibility of terrorist activity in Niger, the event will be airlifted to Libya starting tomorrow, January 13, where it will restart on January 17.

The remaining competitors today enjoyed an early one day rest halt, with a further half day tomorrow to repair their machines an recuperate before the air-lift starts. Spare parts and equipment which had been shipped to Agadez earlier in the event for the scheduled rest day there, was quickly transported to Niamey today instead.

Three giant Antonov 124 cargo planes will work 24 hours a day with 18 ten-hour flights carrying 336 vehicles and 1,365 people from Niamey in Niger to airfields at Sabah and Waw el Kabir in Libya. Each plane is over 70 metres long with a 73 metre wingspan, a take-off weight of 250 tonnes and a cargo carrying capacity of 105 tonnes.

Of the 135 cars that started the event, 113 remain to be transported to the restart along with 143 motorbikes remaining out of 200 and 64 trucks from 66 starters. In total, 320 vehicles are due to restart on January 17 out of a total of 401 starters.

After the cancellation of four legs in Niger totaling 2,987km and 2,254km of stages, 4,148 km remain before the survivors reach Cairo, 3,324km of which will be driven competitively over the Libyan and Egyptian deserts.

All remaining vehicles will be placed in Parc Ferme from Thursday January 13 at noon when the Antonovs are due to arrive to carry them to Sabah and Waw el Kabir airfields in Libya. 18 flights are planned and in addition to the competing cars, the planes will have to carry 16 press cars making it 336 vehicles in total, plus 715 competitors and 650 organisers, press people, mechanics and support personnel.

Providing all goes smoothly, the event will restart on January 17, destination Cairo!

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION IN NIAMEY