A German police officer escorting Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Stuttgart has died after a car rammed into the Hungarian leader’s convoy.
While on the way Monday to the airport after watching his national football team compete against Scotland in the UEFA European Championship in Stuttgart, Germany the previous night, Prime Minister Orbán’s motorcade was hit with tragedy.
According to a report from the German daily Bild, a 69-year-old woman ignored signs for road closures as the Hungarian leader’s convoy made its way through the city, ramming into the police motorcycle of a 61-year-old officer accompanying Orbán’s car.
The strength of the crash flung the officer’s motorcycle into a fellow 27-year-old officer on another motorcycle who was blocking traffic at the time of the incident.
Despite being rushed to hospital, the 61-year-old officer died from his injuries. The 27-year-old officer is meanwhile reported to have sustained “serious injuries”.
STUTTGART, GERMANY – JUNE 19: Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) attend the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Germany and Hungary at Stuttgart Arena on June 19, 2024 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Stefan Matzke – sampics/Getty Images)
Stuttgart Police Chief Markus Eisenbraun said: “We are deeply shocked by the accident of our colleagues. The tragic circumstances of the death of our valued colleague have left us speechless and have hit the entire Stuttgart police force to the core.”
Stuttgart Mayor Frank Nopper also said that he was “deeply shocked” by the incident, adding: “Until midday today, we were all happy that we could celebrate such a peaceful and wonderful football festival in our city… This terrible accident has violently torn us out of this happy mood.”
German Broadcaster NTV reports that the Hungarian leader’s car was not involved in the crash and therefore Orbán did not suffer any injuries. Police also said that he completed his trip to the airport as planned.
So far, there have been no suggestions that there was any political motive behind the incident.
