Victim moved into rally car’s path, organiser says
A photographer killed at a motorsport event accidentally moved into the path of a car as it spun out of control, the event’s organiser says.
It appears that Kevin Corin, 45, was taking photos of the crash at the Royce Watson Memorial Hanmer Rally in North Canterbury right up until the moment of impact.
Police are appealing for photos and videos that might shed light on the circumstances leading to the fatal crash on Saturday evening.
Graham Wilson, president of rally organiser, the Autosport Club, said Corin was ‘‘a long way up the road’’ from the car when it left the course in Hanmer Forest.
The car became airborne driving over a ford and ‘‘didn’t come out straight’’, he said.
‘‘It came out a little bit sideways. When it landed on the ground the sideways action made it spin to the right.
‘‘He [Corin] was looking through his camera and saw the car coming towards him.’’ Wilson said Corin attempted to move out of the car’s path but ‘‘he ran into where the car was rolling’’. ‘‘It’s a really unfortunate accident.’’ Sergeant Rene Pabst said two eyewitnesses to the crash had already approached police. Police were waiting to interview the driver, who was ‘‘pretty rattled’’, and to view the photos on Corin’s camera, Pabst said. ‘‘There may be footage of the car coming towards him.’’ Corin’s death is the second at a rally event in the past 35 years, following driver Royce Watson’s death in 2013.
The Kaiapoi man has been described by friends as "helpful and generous’’, a skilled mechanic with a quiet demeanour.
It is understood Corin had a lengthy career, photographing motorsport for more than 45 years.
He also had a successful career on the European single-seater racing circuit, according to his website.