Rally rider CS Santosh will likely be flown again to India within the subsequent couple of days after he suffered a crash throughout Stage 4 of the Dakar Rally and was airlifted to a Riyadh hospital final Wednesday. The 37-year-old Indian sustained head trauma and a dislocated proper shoulder and has been saved in a medically induced coma to handle the harm and hold bodily capabilities to a minimal. The primary Indian to finish a Dakar Rally, Santosh was being handled on the Saudi German hospital in Riyadh.

“Based mostly on scans and assessments, Santosh is steady and continues to be beneath remark. He has been cleared to be flown again to India, the place he will likely be attended by the native medical doctors. He will likely be transferred in a sleeping state to keep away from any pointless stress throughout the switch. This can be a very optimistic growth as he’ll now be along with his household and in acquainted circumstances, which at all times helps in a quicker restoration. He’s scheduled to fly within the subsequent few days,” his workforce Hero MotoSports stated in an announcement.

After 9 phases of the Dakar Rally at present underway in Saudi Arabia, Santosh’s teammates Joaquim Rodrigues, who completed Stage 9 on Tuesday in thirteenth place discovered a spot within the high 15 general standings whereas Sebastian Buhler was ranked sixteenth. The rally ends on Friday in Jeddah.