Motorcyclist Elmer Symons was killed in an accident during the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally yesterday (AEDT), race organisers announced.

He was the first competitor to die during this year’s race.

The 679km fourth stage over rugged Moroccan desert terrain was from Er Rachidia to Ouarzazate as the motorcycles and cars taking part in the gruelling annual race headed south for the Senegalese capital Dakar.

Organisers were informed during the morning that there had been an accident at 142km and a helicopter was despatched to the scene.

Doctors pronounced Symons dead when they arrived at the scene of the accident, organisers said in a communique.

Symons, a 29-year-old US-based company chief, was taking part in the race for the first time as a competitor having twice completed the course as part of the backup teams. He had been in 18th place overall at the time of the accident.

“We do not know the exact details of what caused the accident or how the motorcyclist died,” rally director Etienne Lavigne told AFP.

“The accident occurred on a sector that had been labelled dangerous with rippling sand formations.

“The rally’s nerve centre in Paris received an automatic satellite alert which indicated that the motorbike had come to an abrubt halt. The pilot was no doubt killed outright.”

Symons body had been taken to a morgue in Er Rachidia, Lavigne added.