After a European Championship football match, the Hungarian head of government Orbán is escorted to Stuttgart Airport. A serious accident occurs.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- A motorcycle policeman has died after an accident while escorting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Stuttgart.
- Orbán was on his way to Stuttgart airport after a European Championship match for his country's national team.
- A 69-year-old car driver rammed into the 61-year-old officer's motorcycle.
A 61-year-old motorcycle policeman was so seriously injured in an accident while accompanying Hungarian head of government Viktor Orbán in Stuttgart that he died in hospital. Another police officer, aged 27, was taken to hospital on Monday with serious injuries, according to police and the public prosecutor's office.
The motorcycle squadron of the Stuttgart traffic police escorted the state guest on Monday. According to the city of Stuttgart, the Hungarian Prime Minister was on his way to Stuttgart Airport after a European Championship match of his country's national team. Orbán's name was not mentioned in the investigators' statement, but was confirmed by the police on request.
During the journey to the airport, a 69-year-old female driver collided with the 61-year-old officer's motorcycle, as reported by the police and the public prosecutor's office. The police officer's motorcycle was thrown against the motorcycle of his 27-year-old colleague, who had cordoned off the intersection, by the force of the collision. The 61-year-old died and the 27-year-old was seriously injured. The road remained closed for several hours.
Baden-Württemberg's police mourn
State Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) announced in the evening that the entire Baden-Württemberg police force was in mourning following the accident in Stuttgart-Degerloch. Every deployment could endanger the lives and health of police officers.
Stuttgart's Lord Mayor Frank Nopper (CDU) explained with a view to the European Championships: "This terrible accident has violently torn us out of this cheerful atmosphere." The football tournament got underway in the center of the state capital without any major problems - the police played a large part in this success, the mayor made clear in a statement.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser spoke of "terrible news" on Platform X. The SPD politician assured the family and the Stuttgart police headquarters of her condolences. Her thoughts are also with the seriously injured officer.
dpa