Déja vu: Bus with Diana inquest jury crashes in Paris

The vehicle hit a pillar outside the Ritz-Carlton hotel — the same place which the Princess left before her fatal accident

PARIS: A coach carrying the jury for the inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales has crashed outside the Ritz Hotel in Paris, sky.com reported on Monday.

Crowds of journalists watched the coach pulling up when it struck a small pillar, bursting a tyre and sending a resounding bang around the elegant square. The vehicle’s wheel trim shot off and a large gash could be seen in the tyre.

A replacement was quickly found and the jurors were able to begin retracing the route taken by Diana and Dodi Fayed on the night they died.

The visit had already slipped behind schedule after being delayed by fog in London and the decision was made to claw the time back by taking the party straight to La Place Vendome ready for phase one of the tour.

Jurors are following the route the Mercedes took to the Alma Tunnel.

The trip was planned to give the group a clear idea of all the relevant locations and they were also due to visit the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital, where Diana died.

Dodi died at the crash scene and Diana shortly after being taken to hospital. At last week’s opening to the long-delayed inquest, the jury were shown security camera pictures that pieced together the couple’s last day.

Poignant shots from the corridors of the Ritz Hotel captured a relaxed and smiling Diana, head tilted sideways in a characteristic gesture, snuggling in the arms of her lover.   

Meanwhile, a jeweller has claimed that Dodi Al-Fayed bought the Princess of Wales an “engagement ring” from his showroom days before their death in a Paris car crash ten years back. “I had given Scotland Yard the actual copy of the receipt given to Dodi’s secretary on which was clearly written ‘engagement ring.’