Buenos Aires - French motorcyclist Pascal Terry who died during the Darar Rally could have been saved if he had been discovered earlier, Argentinian authorities have said.

French media voiced criticism Thursday after it emerged that a mix-up and a communications breakdown had delayed the search for the rider.

The 49-year-old Yamaha rider had gone missing during the second stage between Santa Rosa and Puerto Madryn in the province of Chubut on Sunday.

His body was found in the early hours of Wednesday about 15 metres from his bike around 300 metres from the stage route.

Police official Julio Acosta told the official Telam news agency: "He could have been saved if he had been rescued in time and if we had been alerted sufficiently in advance to begin our search."

Acosta said Terry "died of a pulmonary oedema, which caused a respiratory and cardiac arrest."

Etienne Lavigne, director of the Dakar rally, said that an internal malfunction at the Amaury Sports Organization, which organizes the event, was responsible for the search beginning too late.

French daily Liberation quotes Lavugne as saying, "There was a problem in the chain of communication."

Liberation says that as a result 12 hours were lost before the search for Terry began.

In addition, because they believed, erroneously, that Terry had been seen in Neuquen, the finish of the fourth stage, the search was interrupted for several hours.

Also, apparently Terry was merely listed as a "non-starter" on Monday by the organizers, and not as missing, as if he had simply abandoned the race.

Local police and justice officials have opened an investigation into Terry's death.

There was meanwhile a delayed start to Thursday's sixth stage between San Rafael and Mendoza. Organizers also reduced the day's timed section after impassable river ford forced them to shorten the route.

Qatari driver Nasser al-Attiyah on Wednesday recaptured the overall rally lead after coming in fourth in the stage won by South African Giniel de Villiers who was second overall.

The rally has been switched this year to Argentina and Chile after last year's edition in Africa was cancelled amid security concerns in Mauritania. (dpa)