- Title: FRANCE: DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES DIES IN CAR CRASH IN PARIS
- Date: 31st August 1997
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 31, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV/GV: VARIOUS OF CRASH SCENE/ WRECKED CAR (3 SHOTS) 0.10 2. SV: PHOTOGRAPHERS AT SCENE 0.17 3. GV/MV: WRECKED CAR/ CAR BEING LIFTED ONTO BACK OF LORRY (4 SHOTS) 1.04 4. LV/GV: EXTERIORS OF HOSPITAL WHERE PRINCESS DIANA WAS TAKEN (3 SHOTS) 1.18 5. MCU: PRESS CONFERENCE INSIDE HOSPITAL/ HOSPITAL SPOKESMAN DOCTOR BERNARD RIOU CONFIRMING THAT THE PRINCESS HAD DIED OF A HEART ATTACK AT TWO O'CLOCK FRENCH TIME (FRENCH) 2.02 6. MV: MEDIA 2.04 7. CU: BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE SIR MICHAEL JAY SAYING "TONIGHT'S ACCIDENT A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. THE DEATH OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES FILLS US ALL WITH DEEP GRIEF. OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND THE FAMILY OF FRIENDS OF THE OTHERS WHO DIED IN THE ACCIDENT" (ENGLISH) 2.35 8. FRENCH NEWSPAPER HEADLINES (4 SHOTS) 2.56 9. CU: DAY VIEW CLARENCE WILLIAMS, CALIFORNIAN BUSINESSMAN WHO ARRIVED ON THE CRASH SCENE MOMENTS AFTER ACCIDENT, SAYING "WE COULD NOT SEE ANYONE IN THE AUTOMOBILE EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER WHERE SOMEONE WAS IN A DAZE. WE DID NOTICE SOME PEOPLE MILLING AROUND, WE THOUGHT WE SAW TWO PEOPLE ARGUING OVER HOW THE CRASH HAPPENED ALSO WE NOTICED A PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE SCENE" (ENGLISH) 3.37 10. GV: EXTERIOR OF GENDARMERIE WHERE PHOTOGRAPHERS INVOLVED IN LAST NIGHT'S CRASH ARE BEING QUESTIONED 3.40 11. GV/MV: GENDARMES OUTSIDE BUILDING/ POLICE VAN (2 SHOTS) 3.45 12. GV: PEOPLE STANDING IN STREET OUTSIDE RITZ HOTEL WHERE DIANA AND DODI AL FAYED DINED ON SATURDAY NIGHT 3.49 13. GV: EXTERIOR OF RITZ HOTEL/ CAR (2 SHOTS) 3.55 14. GV/MV: VARIOUS OF FLOWERS AT SCENE OF CRASH (6 SHOTS) 4.19 Initials s.3 - p.3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 15th September 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City:
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVAY2VW9EH3SNYRU347DJONTHMT
- Story Text: INTRO: Diana, Princess of Wales, and her millionaire companion Dodi Al Fayed were killed early on Sunday (August 31) when their car crashed in Paris.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- Diana, the world's most photographed woman and divorced wife of the heir to the British throne, was rushed to the intensive care unit of the Salpetriere hospital in eastern Paris.
The driver of the car was also killed. The fourth person in the car, one of the princess's bodyguards, was injured and freed from the crushed wreckage in a road tunnel under Paris's Eighth District.
Five hours after the crash hospital spokesman Bernard Riou confirmed that the princess had died after suffering a heart attack.
The British Ambassador to France, Sir Michael Jay, told reporters the accident had been a terrible tragedy. He said the nation's thoughts and prayers were with the family and friends of the dead.
Diana, 36, and Harrods heir Al Fayed, 41, had been the focus of frenzied media attention for the past month after photographs showed the pair embracing on a Mediterranean holiday.
The accident took place about 35 minutes past midnight (2235 GMT) while the Mercedes Benz carrying the princess was being pursued by press photographers on motorcycles.
The car was driving at the time through a tunnel at the Place de l'Alma, across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower, police said.
Diana had been due back in Britain on Sunday (August 31) after her latest holiday with Al Fayed in the Mediterranean and had been expected to see her two sons, William and Harry, at her London home at Kensington Palace.
Californian businessman Clarence Williams, who was at the scene of the crash, described the scene moments after the car crashed.
Williams said that the damage to the car was very serious and expressed surprise that that there was a press photographer at the scene with a very large camera so soon after the event.
Throughout the day mourners laid wreaths and flowers at the scene of the crash.
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