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Romanian Woman Injured in London Terror Attack Dies | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Members of the emergency services look at the Thames river in London (Photo: REUTERS)


A 31-year-old Romanian tourist who plunged into the River Thames during last month’s terror attack outside the British parliament has died in hospital, London’s Metropolitan Police said Friday, bringing the toll to five.

Andreea Cristea was visiting London with her partner Andrei Burnaz, who intended to propose marriage later that day, according to Romanian ambassador Dan Mihalache.

She was knocked from Westminster Bridge as the attacker, Khalid Masood, drove into pedestrians on March 22.

Life support for Cristea was withdrawn on Thursday, the police said.

“There are no words to even begin to describe the crushing pain and emptiness that is left in our hearts,” her family and partner said in a statement.

Cristea’s death brings the number of innocent lives lost to five.

In the attack, Masood, a 52-year-old known to the security services, drove at high speed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.

The rampage killed Leslie Rhodes, 75, a retired window cleaner; Aysha Frade, 44, a school administrator; Kurt Cochran, 54, an American tourist, and now Cristea.

Masood then fatally stabbed 48-year-old policeman Keith Palmer, who was guarding the gates of parliament, before being shot dead himself by an armed officer in the forecourt.

Cristea’s family described her as “our shining ray of light that will forever keep on shining in our hearts,” and said they would be donating to charity all the money raised to help her since the March 22 attack.

Footage of the attack, in which around 50 people were injured, showed Masood’s hire car speeding into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and Cristea falling into the river below.

After being taken from the water and rushed to hospital for treatment, Cristea underwent surgery for a blood clot on the brain.

Her partner had an operation on a broken foot but has since been discharged.