Car strikes spectators at Avelgem auto meet in Belgium, injuring six

Crash at Bossuit Castle

Spectators gathered in the West Flemish municipality of Avelgem on Sunday afternoon when a car lost control and drove into the crowd during an automotive gathering. The incident took place at approximately 16:45 on 20 September 2026 within the estate grounds of Bossuit Castle, where the sixth edition of the Château de Bossuit event was underway. The gathering, organized by Speed & Meet, featured sports cars on display as well as a scheduled driving tour through the local area. During the tour route, a vehicle veered off the road at a curve where the street had been cordoned off with metal crowd barriers. The car breached the perimeter and collided with bystanders watching from the roadside.

A car suddenly came off the bend on a section where the roadway was cordoned off with nadar barriers at the side. The vehicle flew over the barriers and struck spectators standing on the side of the street.

Injuries and emergency response

Six spectators sustained injuries in the collision, prompting a large deployment of emergency services to the scene in Avelgem. Paramedics, local ambulance crews, and a specialized mobile emergency medical team (MUG) responded, with additional medical units arriving from across the regional language border in Wallonia to assist. All six injured individuals were transported to regional hospitals for treatment. Local authorities reported that five of the victims suffered light injuries, while one victim sustained serious trauma. Police and municipal officials confirmed that the seriously injured person is not in life-threatening condition, though reports varied locally on whether the victim was an adult woman or a young girl.

Driver detention and event independence

The driver of the vehicle, identified as a 17-year-old French national, escaped the crash without physical injuries and was immediately taken into custody by local police for questioning. Representatives from the event organization and local municipal leaders quickly stated that neither the motorist nor the car was an official entrant in the gathering. Rune Ameye from Speed & Meet emphasized that the meeting had run across six editions without previous incidents, attributing the crash to reckless driving by an unaffiliated motorist. Municipal officials reiterated that the youth was not part of the formal exhibition.

There are 5 lightly injured and 1 seriously injured. Everyone went to the hospital. The seriously injured person is a 40-year-old woman. The young man probably wanted to make an impression and lost control of the steering wheel. The accident actually has nothing to do with the car tuning itself.

Investigation into circumstances

The Mira police zone has launched a formal investigation to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the vehicle leaving the road. Investigators are reviewing the physical layout of the route, the positioning of the nadar fencing, and driver conduct prior to the bend. Police officers are conducting interrogations of the 17-year-old motorist to establish why he lost steering control in the turn. The local administration and event organisers are cooperating with law enforcement as judicial authorities assess potential safety breaches and driving offenses connected to the crash.