International   

Diana's death was an accident: inquiry

Hasan Suroor

— PHOTO: AP

WHEN FATE BECKONED: Princess Diana arrives at the Ritz Hotel in Paris in this August 30, 1997 file photo made from a security video. Just hours later, the Princess died in a car crash.

LONDON: The death of Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997 was simply a "tragic accident'' and there was "no conspiracy'' to murder them, a high-level British inquiry said on Thursday, categorically dismissing all conspiracy theories that have surrounded the case over the past nine years.

In its 832-page report, the inquiry led by John Stevens, a former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, confirmed the findings of the original French investigation in 1999 that the crash happened because the driver, Henri Paul, was heavily drunk and driving at an "excessive'' speed — pursued by a group of photographers. He lost control of the Mercedes after hitting another car in the Pont de l'Alma bypass in the heart of Paris.

Releasing his report, Lord Stevens said he was satisfied that all allegations relating to the circumstances of the crash and its aftermath were "unfounded.'' There was neither a plot to murder the occupants of the car nor a "cover-up'', he said.

Lord Stevens also emphatically rejected the claim of Mohammed Fayed, father of Dodi, that Diana was pregnant at the time, and that she and Dodi were either already engaged or about to get engaged. "Diana was not pregnant at the time,'' Lord Stevens said and they were "not engaged.''

The inquiry was set up in 2004 to investigate allegations that the crash was a result of a "conspiracy'' by Britain's royal establishment to "murder'' Diana and Dodi because it felt embarrassed by their relationship.

Acknowledging that speculation would continue and there were "some matters'' about which "we may never find a definitive answer'', Lord Stevens said, "However, I do not believe that any evidence currently exists that can substantiate the allegation of conspiracy to murder that has been made.''

He described the inquiry, which is estimated to have cost the exchequer some £2 million, as the "most complex and challenging.'' He said he had pursued "every reasonable line of inquiry'' and his team interviewed 300 witnesses, many for the first time.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Hasina-led combine to boycott polls
"Thousands caught in crossfire"
Diana's death was an accident: inquiry
Japanese Defence Agency upgraded to Ministry
"Restoring trust my priority"
Teenager's menagerie
Nepal statute talks on
Islamist leader held
Discharged from army
It's India-Japan Friendship Year
"SAARC fund needs to be operationalised"
London asks Indian businesses to set up shop

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu