New Zealand’s motorsport community is in mourning after 15-year-old rally driver Brooklyn Horan and his co-driver Tyson Jemmett were killed when their car veered off a gravel road and into a flooded river during the Arcadia Road Rallysprint in Paparoa. First responders pronounced both dead at the scene.

MotorSport New Zealand confirmed Horan was behind the wheel. While junior drivers as young as 12 can hold a competition license, the organization said a full investigation is underway. “This terrible tragedy will, without a doubt, shock and upset everyone in the motorsports world,” said president Wayne Christie.

Tributes have poured in across social media. World Rally Champion Hyden Paddon called it “a sad event” that claimed “two great people taken too soon.” Teams and fellow racers described Horan as a natural talent with a bright future.

Beyond the racing community, the loss is deeply personal: Horan leaves behind his wife, Lucy, who is expecting their first child. Friends and coworkers have started a fundraiser to support her and the baby.