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Five dead, 12 injured in Queen's Day tragedy

Published: Thursday 30 April 2009 14:50 UTC
Last updated: Thursday 30 April 2009 20:58 UTC
Queen's Day celebrations in Apeldoorn ended in tragedy, with five people killed and 12 injured, five of them seriously. Just before noon a man deliberately drove his car at high speed into a crowd watching an open-topped coach carrying the Royal Family.

The driver is a 38-year-old Dutch national, who is an unemployed security guard. The public prosecutor says the man told police the target of this attack was the Royal Family, a crime punishable with a maximum jail sentence of 30 years. The public prosecutor has ruled out terrorism.

The car missed the royal coach by 15 metres and came to a standstill when it crashed into a well-known monument. The driver was injured and had to be cut from his vehicle. He was arrested and taken away for interrogation. He is in hospital and his condition is critical.

The man had made an earlier attempt to cross a safety barrier and was turned away by police. By the time the man approached the royal coach, his car was already heavily damaged. Together with a bomb disposal squad police searched the vehicle. The National Anti-terror Coordinator helped launch the investigation.

Queen Beatrix, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, Princess Máxima and other members of the Royal Family watched in horror as the car ploughed through the public. The royals escaped unharmed. Surrounded by security agents, their coach was immediately driven to the nearby Het Loo palace. In a televised address, the queen, visibly shocked, later offered sympathy to the victims and their relatives.

Flags were lowered to half-mast at the palace and all government buildings. Prime Minister Balkenende expressed "deep shock at the horrible event" and traveled to Apeldoorn.

Most Queen's Day celebrations across the country were cancelled. In the capital Amsterdam, where some 600,000 people were partying, and a few other towns, festivities went ahead but were toned down.

More: Queen's Day celebrations in Apeldoorn cancelled (including video and pictures)