Reality TV star Mano Machinek has died at the age of 37 following a tragic car crash in Italy during a commercial shoot.
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Machinek was driving a rented blue Porsche 993 RS when the vehicle veered off the road.
The German reality personality was best known for appearing on the Austrian reality series Forsthaus Rampensau.
Reality TV Star Dies in Car Crash
According to local reports, the fatal crash happened on Thursday, July 30.
Machinek was behind the wheel of the Porsche as part of a commercial production when he reportedly lost control of the vehicle.
The sports car is said to have plunged down a steep embankment before crashing into a tree, leaving Machinek trapped inside.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene and made desperate attempts to free him from the wreckage.
Despite their efforts to save his life, the 37-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
Partner Pays Emotional Tribute
Austrian broadcaster ATV, which airs Forsthaus Rampensau, confirmed Machinek's death in a statement.
"We mourn the loss of Mano, who died in a car accident. Our sincere condolences to his family. Maria, we wish you strength and are thinking of you," the statement reads.
Machinek appeared on the first season of the reality show in 2022 alongside his partner, Maria Maksimovic.
Maksimovic also confirmed his death in an emotional tribute.
"My beloved Mano died in a tragic car accident - while doing something he loved more than almost anything else in this world: driving," she wrote.
"He was behind the wheel of a Porsche, a car that was so much more than just a vehicle to him. It was one of his greatest passions."
She went on to describe Machinek's lifelong passion for cars, saying he felt "freedom behind the wheel."
The statement concluded, "It breaks my heart that the very thing he loved so much became the moment I had to say goodbye to him."
The exact circumstances surrounding the fatal crash remain under investigation.
Italy's national police force, the Carabinieri, is investigating the incident. While prosecutors have impounded the vehicle and taken custody of Machinek's body as part of the ongoing investigation.
