Terrible accident in Spain: Soraya Barreiro dies at just 20 years old

A day of racing turned into tragedy at the Rally de Llanes in Spain. The young Asturian co-driver Soraya Barreiro, just 20 years old, lost her life following a dramatic accident that occurred during a special stage of the competition. The vehicle in which she was traveling with driver German Romano veered off the road for reasons that are still under investigation.

After the impact, the car caught fire: there was nothing that could be done to save the young woman, while the driver survived and was transported to the hospital in Arriondas. The rapid response of first responders and the Principality of Asturias Emergency Service—who, according to La Nueva España, arrived at the scene of the accident quickly—was in vain. Local firefighters also responded to secure the area and extinguish the flames.

Following the tragedy, organizers decided to immediately suspend the Llanes Rally, canceling the remaining special stages. Soraya’s brother, Pablo Barreiro, was also participating in the competition and had driven through the course just moments before the accident involving the ill-fated co-driver.

The Civil Guard has launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the incident. Meanwhile, the Spanish motorsports community is in shock over the death of the young co-driver, remembered by friends and fans as a young woman who was deeply passionate about the world of rally racing.

Unfortunately, this is not the first tragedy to strike the Asturian event: in 2021, another serious accident claimed the lives of driver Jaime Gil and co-driver Diego Calvo. For this reason as well, the tragedy involving Soraya Barreiro has reignited the debate on safety in motorsports held on public roads.