Times Colonist from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada • 1

1st EDITION yy vx jJioX nrcinn SUNDAY August 31, 1997 139tiiyear-No. 258 $1.00 PLUS GST Victoria, British Columbia I -V' ry.rs I Boyfriend Bcdi also dies in high-speed Paris crash i 4 I 1 yf, I FILE At, PARIS (AP-CP) Diana, Princess of Wales, who had been striving a build a new public and private life after her turbulent divorce, died today from injuries in a crash that also killed her companion, Dodi Al Fayed. The 36-year-old princess died at 4 a.m. local time after going into cardiac arrest, doctors told a hospital news conference. The crash happened shortly after midnight in a tunnel along the Seine River at the Pont de 1' Alma bridge.

It came as paparazzi commercial photographers who constantly tail Diana followed her car, police said. The death was announced at a 6 a.m. hospital news conference by Dr. Alain Pavie, head of the cardiology department. The Queen and Diana's ex-husband Prince Charles are "deeply shocked and distressed by this terrible news," said Buckingham Palace.

Diana's death from cardiac arrest came after she suffered heavy internal bleeding in the early-morning accident French radio said the paparazzi were trailing Diana's car on motorcycles. Five photographers were arrested, it said. The high-speed pursuit ended in a crash in the tunnel that trapped several people in a pileup. The force of the crash crumpled the roof of the Mercedes to door-high level. Al Fayed, 42-year-old son of billionaire Egyptian owner of London's prestigious Harrods department store, was also killed in the accident, along with the chauffeur.

France Info reported the chauffeur was a security agent at the Hotel Ritz, owned by Fayed's father, Mohamed Al Fayed. The fourth person in the car, a bodyguard, was also seriously injured in the crash. Diana died at the Hospital de la Pitie Salpctriere in south-central Paris. U.S. tourists Tom Richardson and Joanna Luz were among the first on the scene.

They told CNN they were walking nearby when they heard the crash and ran into the tunnel. The car Diana was in "looked like it hit a wall," said Richardson, of San Diego. "There was smoke. I think the car hit a wall. "A man started running towards us Dodi Al Fayed: Enjoyed close relationship telling us to go." Luz said: "The horn was sounding for about two minutes.

I think it was the driver against the steering wheel." British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was awakened with news of the accident, said he was "shocked and saddened" by the "devastating, appalling tragedy," a Downing Street spokesman said. In Ottawa, a spokesman in Prime Minister Jean Chretien's office expressed his "sadness and concern." Al Fayed's and Diana's close friendship became clear to the outside world over the last five weeks, as the.couple took a series of holidays together in the Mediterranean. Newspapers reported Diana first met Al Fayed almost 10 years ago when he and Charles played polo on opposing teams. Films he has produced or co-produced include the 1981 Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire, Tlw World According to Garp, FX and Hook. Diana and Charles separated in 1992 after 1 1 years of marriage and divorced last year.

A More coverage A2, A3, C1 DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES, 1961-1997 Victoria mourns a princess in every sense of the word Details t'i 'i on 1)13 lslanderC8 LifeBI2 Science PageC7 SportsB I Sunday ReadcrCI YourWorldC2 TelevisionBI I FASTFIND BarrvBI2 BooksB9 ClassifiedDI Color ComicsBS 1 2 EnterainmcnB? FreirB 1 3 HoroscopeBI3 FASTCONNECT TO SUBSCRIBE, PHOWE 382-2255 Classified: 386-2121 Reader Sales Service: 382-22S5 Fax number: 380-53S3 e-mail: timescinterlink.bc.ca Detailed phone HitlBI 3 Oak Bay resident Peter Itunn, a for mer Oak Hay councillor ho scnl much of life In Fnglaud before coming to Canada, he had a fil ling of "great loss." "What a tragedy and a loss of a person who appeared to be trying to do all the right things in spile of the in-bred aristocracy and establishment in Britain. "It Ls Just such of a loss of person who 1 think was sincere In what she did, although maylw naive In some ways." To hear of the death of someone who Ls only 36 Is "appalling." "I think coplc of all ages ill feel this loss," said Itunn, 75. "Diana was a real force for gid In the world." Stanley Sinclair, of Victoria' branch of the Miman liist Ixagueof Canada, said reports of Diana's death came as "an ahvthile shock. "1 know members of the league will n-gard the news with great sadness and with great concern for her children." Sinclair said there are several hundred monarchist league members in Victoria. By Jeff Bell Times Colonist news staff The news of Princess Dianu's deutli sent slimk waves tliniuh Mdoila uiul tin resl of Hie province.

For I.lcul.-Cov Cardnin, tier passing marked the death of "a princevs in ever) sense of (he word, and a princess fur the world. "The Joy she provided, the Rood did, the hoe site promoted make It List, make It last." "Our prayers are wilh tier, with all of tiers and worldwide for a brighter, ever better and more kindly tomorrow," Many didn't quilc know how to react to the tragedy. Andrew Charlton of Victoria, who spent part of his childhood lit England before emigrating with Ids family jears ago, was stunned at what hiiiM iied. "It's hard to know what to say," said (liarllort, who marks his heritage by mn-tilng Itril's I lite Furniture. "It's a real tragedy." nil Prince Charles kisses Diana's hand after July 29, 1 98 1, wedd ing 1.