Last Hours, Death, Transfer from France, Funeral and Interment

[Osipi]

Oh most definitely. Some places even have special squads that are on call solely for auto extrications.

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by Nico

Very well said, thank you.
We all know how revolting and frustrating those kind of tragics deaths are. Afterward there are always a good amount of easy " could have" and "should have" only there to ad some controversy in an already dramatic situation.
Diana was indeed in the best possible hands that night , according to a proved method. Sadly it wasnt enough to save her ...

Yes and sadly the second guessing of the SAMU team's actions that has continued for decades now does not change the fact that this accident's tragic outcome was largely preventable. Had there been an experienced, sober chauffeur driving at a safe speed. Had the occupants wearing their seat belts, I believe that the four people in the vehicle would have more than likely been delivered safely to their respective destinations that night.


I've read too many fanciful suggestions over the years regarding how the SAMU team should have responded. They range from moving the entire trauma team and all of their equipment to another hospital to prioritizing Diana over any other trauma call that night because she was a public figure.



Having experienced the death of my own sibling who suffered injuries similar to Diana's due to a car crash in 1992. Like Diana, he was not wearing a seat belt. Why-because there were none installed in his friend's jeep. (He should not have ridden in a vehicle with out them.) Also similar to Diana's situation this is in the days before cell phones are in common use. Like Diana my brother's accident occurred in a metropolitan area with first responders quickly on the scene and a well known trauma center close by. I fully understand the pain that her fans feel. However sometimes there are injuries that even "scoop and run" and experienced trauma surgeons cannot save.

[Nico]

Originally Posted by TLLK

Having experienced the death of my own sibling who suffered injuries similar to Diana's due to a car crash in 1992. Like Diana, he was not wearing a seat belt. Why-because there were none installed in his friend's jeep. (He should not have ridden in a vehicle with out them.) Also similar to Diana's situation this is in the days before cell phones are in common use. Like Diana my brother's accident occurred in a metropolitan area with first responders quickly on the scene and a well known trauma center close by. I fully understand the pain that her fans feel. However sometimes there are injuries that even "scoop and run" and experienced trauma surgeons cannot save.

Thank you for sharing this painful memory with us

Originally Posted by Elan

For discussion sake, if occupants are out in 10 - 15 minutes, a medical helicopter lands, somehow gets them to a hospital 5 min later, a window of time is saved. ..If that changes anything, however.

Speaking of which, i remember some heated discussions about why a medical helicopter was not used that night. Because, if you know a little bit Paris, you just can't land a helicopter in the middle of the streets like that (and the accident was in a tunnel ...).
Again with Ifs, You can Put Paris in a Bottle.

[TLLK]

You're welcome Nico. Also I'd like to add that I agree that landing a helicopter in a major metropolitan area is no easy task.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Osipi

With this conversation, I think we're able to realize just how stressful the job of an emergency worker is. One has to make split second decisions on the best move to make for the patient and there's no "one method suits all" standard operating procedure that works for each emergency run.

in Diana's case, her injuries were not only traumatic but bordering on what happened to Dodi. Instant death. From what I read, the emergency workers that handled Diana's injuries were very well trained and did the best possible life saving methods that they could. It also sounds like the ambulance was very well equipped to handle the situation also.

The fact that she did remain alive for such a long (long as in this case and her injuries) is a testament to the emergency workers that handled her and they should be lauded for their efforts.

Completely in agreement here. Moreover, the French philosophy on emergency medical care is to provide a higher level of care at the scene of the incident, and so units are staffed by a qualified physician along with a nurse and/or emergency medical technician. This contrasts with systems in other parts of the world, notably English-speaking countries, where care on scene is conducted primarily by paramedics or emergency medical technicians, with physicians only becoming involved on scene at the most complex or large scale incidents.

The result is that a French unit will typically spend a long time on scene compared with a paramedic ambulance in a different system, as the physician may conduct a full set of observations, examinations and interventions before removal to hospital. Or even stop the ambulance under way to provide urgent intervention (as did happen to Diana).

[US Royal Watcher]

The issue of whether Diana always wore a seatbelt has been discussed before. There is a picture of Diana wearing pearls and she is definitely not wearing a seatbelt. I know there are other photos out there. I think she may be one of those people who always wore a seatbelt if she was sitting in the front but not always when she sat in the back.

I will believe an official report over a private investigators who may have had an agenda. The official investigators had no reason to ignore evidence. Diana wasn't in their protection.

I also find it hard to believe that the Mercedes seatbelts were not working. In my experience, they don't break down often. The only time I can recall riding in a car with faulty seatbelts was when I was in Laos in the 90s and the car was almost 20 years old. (the lack of seatbelts was only one of several concerns I had about that trip).

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal...ic-latest-news

[Elan]

Originally Posted by Osipi

With this conversation, I think we're able to realize just how stressful the job of an emergency worker is. One has to make split second decisions on the best move to make for the patient and there's no "one method suits all" standard operating procedure that works for each emergency run.

in Diana's case, her injuries were not only traumatic but bordering on what happened to Dodi. Instant death. From what I read, the emergency workers that handled Diana's injuries were very well trained and did the best possible life saving methods that they could. It also sounds like the ambulance was very well equipped to handle the situation also.

The fact that she did remain alive for such a long (long as in this case and her injuries) is a testament to the emergency workers that handled her and they should be lauded for their efforts.

Well spoken, I agree they deserve to be lauded for their efforts at the scene. ..That said, the 280S is where my interest lies. Revisiting articles last night the practice of welders who as a group are keenly aware of spark when doing a restoration, promoting safety in proximity to fuel. Ventilation becomes a priority for them. Surely, crews had to be equally concerned, adhering to rules and procedures while inside the tunnel. If not, others may be injured or killed.

Yet there may have been alternatives around the risks.. to where Diana could have emerged from the wreck in well under an hour. Speaking as someone who's been under a car, it's not all that difficult to hoist a rear portion with a mechanic (technician today), crawl up, drain, remove tank from the chassis. With the tank out, others can slice -- A and C pillar -- without fear of potential incident. Actually, a strong Jigsaw might take out a large area of roof metal by itself. ..with ventilation, the tank might not present a problem.

Scenarios with risk involved need teams working in tandem, on the order of Special Operations.. A) Place and operate a number of fan blowers to provide ventilation. B) Raise up, collect fuel, remove tank C) Slice roof from vehicle D) Rendevous, transport, to a helicopter that waits 1/2 mile away.

[MaiaMia_53]

[...]I came across this video on YouTube of Earl Spencer remembering the hours after he learned of Diana's death, and how he ended up deciding to write the eulogy. I'd never seen this video or heard these sentiments from him previously. It's very poignant how he describes writing the eulogy and then reading it to Diana first as her remains lay in the coffin.

Particularly poignant are Earl Spencer's thoughts and emotions about walking behind his sister's coffin experiencing overwhelming concern for his nephews. He mentions that he'd tried to prevent young Harry from having to make the walk. As well, Earl Spencer's description of his emotions upon reading the eulogy are very revealing, including this quote: "I wasn't trying to attack anyone else. I just wanted to stipulate what a thoroughly wonderful person we'd just lost. And if in comparison to that other people felt badly about it, well that was really not my issue. I was just trying to be loyal to Diana..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ECC2GrfhCk