Westminster attack: Death toll rises as woman who fell into river dies

The post Westminster attack: Death toll rises as woman who fell into river dies appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.

This post was syndicated from Premium Times Nigeria. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook </s> A woman who fell into London's River Thames following last month's Westminster attack has died in hospital. Andreea Cristea, 31, was withdrawn from life support on Thursday.Cristea, who was from Romania, is the fifth victim of the attack that was carried out on March 22. She had been on holiday in London with her boyfriend Andrei Burnaz, reported Reuters.Police said she fell into the river when attacker Khalid Masood plowed through pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before fatally stabbing a policeman outside the House of Commons.Cristea's family said in a statement.The family added that the money which was raised for her treatment will now be donated to charity.Cristea is the fifth victim to die from the attack. The others were PC Keith Palmer, 48, US tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Aysha Frade, 44, an administrator at DLD College LondonA vigil held on March 29 saw up to 500 UK religious leaders join hands on Westminster Bridge to form a human chain to honor the victims of the attack. </s> LONDON — A 31-year-old woman who fell into the River Thames during the London terror attack has died, London police said Friday.

Andreea Cristea and her boyfriend Andrei Burnaz were crossing Westminster Bridge on March 22 when the British attacker Khalid Masood plowed his rental car through a throng of terrified pedestrians.

Her death brings the number of victims who died from the attack to five. Masood was fatally shot by officers outside of the Houses of Parliament.

Cristea, an architect who was visiting London from her native Romania, fell into the Thames during the deadly rampage that saw Masood’s vehicle mount the sidewalk and reach speeds of 76 mph. She was pulled out of the river alive and rushed to hospital where she was diagnosed with a blood clot on the brain. She died Thursday afternoon after her life support was withdrawn.

Her boyfriend, who has a broken foot, has been released from hospital.

In a statement released Friday, her family and Burnaz described Cristea as a “shining ray of light that will forever keep on shining in our hearts.”

“After fighting for her life for over two weeks, our beloved and irreplaceable Andreea — wonderful daughter, sister, partner, dedicated friend and the most unique and life loving person you can imagine — was cruelly and brutally ripped away from our lives in the most heartless and spiritless way,” they said in the statement, released by the London Metropolitan police.

They said the money raised for her recovery would be donated to charity. “She would not have it any other way.”

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, tweeted: “Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Andreea Cristea. Londoners hold her & her loved ones in our thoughts today.”

Video footage taken during the attack showed Cristea falling from Westminster Bridge.

Utah resident Kurt Cochran, 54, and Londoners Aysha Frade, 44 and Leslie Rhodes, 77 also died as a result of being struck on the bridge. Keith Palmer, a 48-year-old police officer, was fatally stabbed inside the gates of Parliament. </s> Andreea Cristea. a 31-year-old Romanian tourist who was knocked into the River Thames from Westminster Bridge during an attack on Britain's Houses of Parliament more than two weeks ago has died, London police said Friday, April 7, 2017.

LONDON — A 31-year-old Romanian tourist who was knocked into the River Thames from Westminster Bridge during an attack on Britain's Houses of Parliament more than two weeks ago has died, London police said Friday.

Andreea Cristea was rescued from the cold river after the attack, in which British attacker Khalid Masood drove a rented SUV into pedestrians on the bridge and then fatally stabbed an unarmed police officer outside Parliament.

Her death brings the death toll from the attack to five, plus Masood, who was shot dead by police.

Her family and Burnaz described Cristea 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.

"After fighting for her life for over two weeks, our beloved and irreplaceable Andreea — wonderful daughter, sister, partner, dedicated friend and the most unique and life-loving person you can imagine — was cruelly and brutally ripped away from our lives in the most heartless and spiritless way," they said in a statement.

They said there are no words to describe the emptiness they feel and thanked medical personnel for their round-the-clock help.

Police said she had been receiving extensive treatment in a London hospital since the attack but that life support was withdrawn Thursday afternoon.

St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where Cristea was treated, said it was "greatly saddened" by her death.

Footage taken at the time showed Cristea falling into the river during the attack. Witnesses saw her lying face-down in the Thames before she was rescued and rushed to an emergency room for emergency surgery after being diagnosed with a blood clot on the brain.

Burnaz needed surgery on his foot but has been discharged from the hospital. He was seen in a wheelchair at a memorial service for victims held last week.

Also killed in the attack were Utah man Kurt Cochran, 54; Britons Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Aysha Frade, 44; and 48-year-old police officer Keith Palmer.

Police believe 52-year-old Masood, who had convictions for violence, acted alone and was motivated by Islamist extremism. </s> A fifth victim of last month’s attack on British Houses of Parliament has died in hospital, the Metropolitan Police said on Friday.

Romanian tourist Andreea Cristea, on a visit to the British capital, died Thursday, detectives investigating the March 22 incident confirmed.

After being hit by a truck crossing Westminster Bridge toward parliament, she fell into the River Thames and was later rescued from the water.

Khalid Masood drove at high speed across the bridge and then stabbed a police officer at the parliament estate.

He was then shot and killed by armed police.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said Cristea had been receiving medical treatment in hospital following the attack, but life support was withdrawn on Thursday. </s> Andreea Cristea, 31, an architect from Romania, fell off the the bridge during the attack.

After being pulled from the river, Cristea was diagnosed with a blood clot on the brain. She remained hospitalized and on life support for more than two weeks. Her fatal fall was captured on video at the scene, but it remains unclear if she was pushed off the bridge by the vehicle or if she jumped deliberately to attempt to get away.

"After fighting for her life for over two weeks, our beloved and irreplaceable Andreea – wonderful daughter, sister, partner, dedicated friend and the most unique and life loving person you can imagine – was cruelly and brutally ripped away from our lives in the most heartless and spiritless way,” a statement from Cristea’s family said. "She will always be remembered as our shining ray of light that will forever keep on shining in our hearts."

The family has said that remaining donations for her medical care will be given to charity.

Burnaz was also struck by Masood’s vehicle, breaking his foot, but survived.

“Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Andreea Cristea. Londoners hold her & her loved ones in our thoughts today,” Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, tweeted.

The other victims who did not survive the attack on the bridge were Aysha Frade, 44, of London; US tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, from Utah; and Leslie Rhodes, 75, of south London. Police officer Keith Palmer, a father of two, was killed at the gates of Parliament. </s> The Romanian tourist who fell into the River Thames during March 22’s terrorist attack on Britain’s House of Parliament has died, — bringing the total death toll of the heinous ambush to five.

Andreea Cristea was taken off of life support on Thursday afternoon, police told The New York Times, after spending two weeks receiving extensive medical treatment in a London hospital.

The 31-year-old architect was rescued from the cold river after the attack, where she was seen floating face-down by witnesses after a terrorist barreled his vehicle into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, the Associated Press reported. She was diagnosed with a blood clot on the brain, receiving emergency surgery.

Six people, including the attacker, died in the attack. American Kurt Cochran, 54, who was on vacation with his wife; British mother-of-three Aysha Frade, 43; and retired London window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, were also killed on Westminster Bridge. Police officer Keith Palmer, 48, was stabbed to death as he tried to stop the assailant from entering Parliament.

Cristea was traveling wit her boyfriend Andrei Burnaz, who suffered a broken foot in the attack, the Associated Press reported.

The couple were in London for Burnaz’s birthday. He was planning to propose to his girlfriend on the day of the attack, the Times reported.

In a statement, Cristea’s family and Burnaz described her as “our shining ray of light that will forever keep on shining in our hearts,” the BBC reported.

“After fighting for her life for over two weeks, our beloved and irreplaceable Andreea — wonderful daughter, sister, partner, dedicated friend and the most unique and life-loving person you can imagine — was cruelly and brutally ripped away from our lives in the most heartless and spiritless way,” they said.

“There are no words to even begin to describe the crushing pain and emptiness that is left in our hearts,” they continued.

Thanking medical personnel for their help, Cristea’s family said they would be donating all the money raised to help Cristea since the March 22 attack to charity.

Burnaz, who received surgery on his foot, visited Westminster Bridge during last week’s candlelight vigils to lay a single white rose, the BBC reported.

On March 222, an assailant careened a car through one of the busiest and most recognizable parts of Britain’s capital about 2:40 p.m. local time, hitting dozens of pedestrians before crashing into the gate outside the Palace of Westminster during Prime Minister’s Questions time. The attacker then got out and fatally stabbed a police officer before being shot dead by guards.

The death toll from the attack now stands at five. Prime Minister Theresa May also said that at least 40 people were injured. </s> At least 20 people were killed when a boat carrying scores of wedding guests collided with a river barge at night in western Myanmar, authorities said on Saturday, with more feared drowned as rescue workers renewed their search in daylight. Most of the dead were women, according officials, who said the boat sank on Friday evening on a river in Pathein, a port city west of the commercial capital Yangon.

Start the conversation, or Read more at South China Morning Post. </s> BEIJING (AP) — The fire department says the death toll from two boats that capsized in southern China has risen to 17.

The boats were practicing Saturday for a race in the Taohua River in the city of Guilin when the accident happened. It's not immediately clear what caused the boats to capsize.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> 29 drown in capsized boat in Uganda, toll expected to rise

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda police say 29 people died when a boat capsized in Lake Victoria near the capital, Kampala.

Senior police officer Zurah Ganyana said rescue teams are retrieving bodies from the boat that overturned and sank Saturday night. She said that 27 people were rescued overnight, lower than earlier reports. More than 90 passengers were on the boat, leading officials to believe that the death toll will rise.

Ganyana said the boat was in poor condition and had been grounded for some time. She said it did not have a valid license to operate.

The boat was taking passengers on a pleasure cruise on Lake Victoria, a popular weekend activity for young people in Kampala. It capsized close to shore at about 7 p.m. local time.
The death toll rises to five after a woman who fell into the River Thames dies in hospital.