BRITAIN's world champion Colin McRae was in third position at the end of a tragic first day of the Safari Rally in Kenya. Three mechanics were drowned when their Land Rover support vehicle was washed away by a flash flood as they tried to negotiate a river crossing.

The accident happened yesterday afternoon near Ole Kejiado, around 40 miles south of the rally's Nairobi headquarters. The traditional Easter event has a notorious reputation for sudden changes in the weather. Tracks and bone dry river beds have been known to fill in seconds as storms herald the start of the rainy season.

South Korean Bae Soo-oh and co-driver Shabir Haji of Kenya had a lucky escape at the same concrete drift. They managed to scramble unhurt from their Daewoo car when it was also washed downstream. Tropical storms have already cut out around 125 miles of the near 2,000 mile test which finishes tomorrow.

McRae was 82 seconds behind Subaru team mate and leader Kenneth Eriksson after the day's five special stages. Eriksson gained a narrow 27 second lead over, Mitsubishi driver Tommi Makinen of Finland after battling against the heavy rain and electrical trouble.