The 2026 China Huatai International Rally Race had a fatal accident on May 26, where 37-year-old Zhang Xiujun, the chairman of Yunlian Supply Chain Management Company in Tangshan City, Hebei Province, passed away. Zhang Xiujun, a driver, was involved in an accident during the race, along with his navigator, and despite their efforts to save themselves after their car overturned, they were trapped inside for about an hour before being found by other drivers. The family raised concerns about the timeliness of the rescue operation.
According to reports from mainland Chinese media such as Jimum News and Peninsula Morning Post, on May 29, the organizing committee of the 2026 China Huatai International Rally Race announced that during the SS8 stage of the race on May 26, Car No. 179 from the Yunlian team was involved in an accident. Despite on-site rescue efforts and medical treatment, driver Zhang Xiujun tragically passed away.
Zhang Xiujun, aged 37, left behind three young children. The family mentioned that the children are not yet aware of their father’s passing.
Mr. Zhang, the younger brother of Zhang Xiujun, informed the media that his brother was the chairman of Yunlian Supply Chain Management Company in Tangshan City, Hebei Province, and had a passion for off-road rally races, having participated in various events. He reviewed the footage of the accident scene and listened to the navigator’s account, learning that the accident occurred around 1:15 pm that day when the car lost control on a bend and flipped into a roadside puddle. After the car overturned, both Zhang Xiujun and the navigator remained conscious and attempted to escape.
Mr. Zhang mentioned that it was around 2:30 pm when other participating cars found the accident and began emergency rescue operations, but Zhang Xiujun ultimately succumbed to drowning.
Following the incident, Zhang Xiujun’s family took to social media to express their concerns, questioning the adequacy of the rescue efforts despite participants signing liability waivers, arguing that the organizers should bear responsibility for safety measures and rescue operations.
In their post, they stated, “At this moment, we are deeply grieved and cannot accept this outcome. If the rescue had been timely, perhaps he would not have left us. However, he and the navigator were trapped in the car for a full hour before being discovered by other drivers and receiving help, with the event organizers arriving at the scene only at the end. What were the organizers doing during this long period of time? We cannot understand or accept such serious negligence. It has been 48 hours since the incident, and there has been no definitive response. We, the family, implore for attention from society and demand that all relevant departments involved in the Huatai race give us justice and show respect to the deceased.”
The navigator, Mr. Feng, who was in the car with Zhang Xiujun, recalled that the accident occurred in a section of consecutive bends on a sandy road, where the vehicle flipped over and landed upside down in a ditch.
Mr. Feng remembered that due to the lack of vehicle sealing, a large amount of water entered the car after the rollover, requiring both individuals to quickly release their seatbelts and try to escape. Zhang Xiujun, sitting in a higher and more forward seat position, lost consciousness soon after the vehicle flooded, while Mr. Feng, despite being in a confined space, managed to maintain some breathing space.