Woman who fell into Thames during Westminster attack dies, family pays tribute to 'our shining ray of light'

The young woman who fell into the Thames amid the Westminster attack has died, police have said.

Andreea Cristea, from Romania, is the fifth victim of the attack on 22 March, in which Khalid Masood drove into crowds on Westminster Bridge and then stabbed a policeman to death inside the grounds of Parliament, before being shot dead.

Ms Cristea, 31, on holiday in London with her boyfriend Andrei Burnaz, had been in hospital since the attack.

Her family said in a statement that she had died yesterday.

The statement said: '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.

'She will always be remembered as our shining ray of light that will forever keep on shining in our hearts.'

The family said that they would now like money donated for Ms Cristea's recovery to be given to charity.

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

'Our family, together with Andrei, are deeply touched and eternally grateful for the unimaginable efforts and never-ending dedication provided to her and us by the entire medical personnel of each and every hospital involved. Their kindness and empathy are beyond compare.'

Burnaz sustained a broken foot in the attack but has been discharged from hospital.

The couple were in the capital to celebrate Burnaz's birthday and he had been planning to propose to Ms Cristea that day, Romania's UK ambassador, Dan Mihalache, told the BBC.

He said it was thought Masood's car had mounted the pavement and hit Burnaz, before pushing Ms Cristea into the Thames.

The other people killed on the bridge were Aysha Frade, 44, who worked at a London sixth-form college, American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, from Utah, and retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, from south London.

PC Keith Palmer, a father of two, was fatally stabbed after Masood forced his way into the Parliamentary estate.

Relatives of those killed joined members of the Royal Family at a 'service of hope' held at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday.

News
Fire severely damages historic Amsterdam church on New Year’s Day
Fire severely damages historic Amsterdam church on New Year’s Day

A major fire tore through one of Amsterdam’s best-known historic buildings in the early hours of New Year’s Day, seriously damaging the property and forcing people to leave nearby homes.

Rwanda’s president on the defensive over church closures
Rwanda’s president on the defensive over church closures

Rwandan President Paul Kagame defended the government's forced closure of Evangelical churches, accusing them of being a “den of bandits” led by deceptive relics of colonialism. 

We are the story still being written
We are the story still being written

The story of Christ continues in the lives of those who take up His calling.

Christians harassed, attacked all over India at Christmas
Christians harassed, attacked all over India at Christmas

International Christian Concern reported more than 80 incidents in India, some of them violent, over Christmas.