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Home › Politics

Politics | 04/30/2009 1:25 pm

Four Die After Car Crash at Festival Honoring Dutch Queen

Queen’s Day turned into a disaster after a car crashed into a crowd watching the Netherlands’ royal family.
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
© AP

A day meant to honor The Netherlands’ Queen Beatrix turned into a nightmare when a man plowed his vehicle into the crowd. Though the queen and her royal family were unharmed, four people were killed and more than a dozen were injured. The driver hasn’t been identified, but police say he crashed into the crowd intentionally. They’re unsure how he got into the restricted area.

The royal family was in an open bus on its way to the Het Loo palace, where they were going to celebrate Queen’s Day, a national holiday there. All festivities have been canceled, however.

Read more about: Car Accident, News, Queen Beatrix, Queen's Day, The Netherlands

8 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Suzanne de Cornelia
Horrible! My son lives in Amsterdam…and everyone loves the Queen. This jerk just killed innocent people. And the Dutch are so nice and peace loving. How awful!
By Suzanne de Cornelia on 04/30/2009 2:17 pm
Mel Berg
Suzanne, my husband is from Amsterdam and he read this is his Dutch paper online this morning. How awful for everyone and "Queens Day" is such a wonderful day over there, lots going on. Wonder why this jerk did this??
By Mel Berg on 04/30/2009 3:43 pm
Suzanne de Cornelia
Mel, How nice to have a Dutch husband. They are an attractive race. I’m going to be a nervous wreck until my son calls me. It’s only 45 miles from Amsterdam and Apeldoorn and knowing him with a day off for the holiday it’s likely he and his girlfriend would do something like that…
By Suzanne de Cornelia on 05/01/2009 12:51 am
Mel Berg
Suzanne, I hope that you have heard from your son by now and that everything is o.k. with him. My husbands sisters and daughter live in Amsterdam also and they are all fine. I heard that the man driving the car had just been fired from his job but that is no excuse for what he did. I can’t figure what goes through someones mind to take out such rage on innocent people.
By Mel Berg on 05/01/2009 4:44 am
Slim Pickins

This IS sad.  I too wonder what in the world would cause someone to do this.  I’m wondering what happend to the ROOF of this vehicle?  It’s hard to see precisely in this image but it looks completely crushed!  If so, this incident should be used to help make the case many auto safety experts having been making for years about week roof strength standards….which was discussed on Good Morning America just this morning.  Anyone see the show?

Here’s a link to story and video titled:

Some Seek Stricter Safety Standards for Car Roofs -

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7464281&page=1 

 

By Slim Pickins on 04/30/2009 4:51 pm
Rebecca G

OMG!  This is truly tragic.  I love the Dutch and have many friends there as we would fly back and forth between Amsterdam and NYC and crash at each others homes.  At least all my friends are in Amsterdam.  I hope none where visting Apeldoorn for Queen’s Day.

More details about what happened on Der Spiegel  http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,622318,00.html

By Rebecca G on 04/30/2009 5:59 pm
Suzanne de Cornelia
That’s what I was thinking because it’s a holiday and I immediately thought I hope my son and his girlfriend didn’t go there…he usually calls me on Fridays. You just don’t expect things like this in Holland.
By Suzanne de Cornelia on 05/01/2009 12:41 am
Jeannot Kensinger

I was shocked to see this. The Dutch Royalty was always popular, I am hoping that did not change.

This scene seems unreal to me when you connect it to the Dutch.

Love the country.

By Jeannot Kensinger on 05/01/2009 7:08 am