Medics describe moment Diana died

Anaesthetist Daniel Eyraud said medics agreed "by common consent" to abandon attempts to restart her heart after surgery to stem internal bleeding.

He said staff at Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital had treated her for "a few hours" when the decision was taken.

Diana died after being hurt in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.

Her companion Dodi Al Fayed and driver Henri Paul died as a result of the crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel after leaving the Ritz Hotel in Paris.

The jury heard staff carried out cardiac massage constantly as surgeons attempted to clamp a ruptured blood vessel next to Diana's heart.

"I personally believe we did everything possible to save the princess with the appropriate means"
Daniel Eyraud
Anaesthetist

But after repeated electric shocks also failed to revive the princess, medical staff accepted that the battle to save her life had been lost.

In a statement read to the jury, Dr Eyraud said: "We decided by common consent to stop heart massage as it was completely impossible to restore cardiac activity after such a long period of arrest.

"From that point, the princess was pronounced dead."

He added: "I personally believe we did everything possible to save the princess with the appropriate means."

Cardiac massage

The inquest has already heard that Diana went into cardiac arrest at around 0210 local time (0310 BST) and was finally pronounced dead at 0400 (0500 BST).

The jury heard that the car crash left Diana with a ruptured blood vessel causing massive internal bleeding.

The "compressive right haemothorax" in turn put pressure on the Princess's right lung and heart.

The princess' heart stopped for the first time as she was taken out of the wreck of the crashed Mercedes by emergency service staff at around 0100 local time (0200 BST).

Her heart restarted after cardiac massage was carried out.

'Artificial respiration'

But Diana's condition deteriorated again while she was in an ambulance taking her to the hospital and the vehicle had to be stopped to allow a doctor to work on her, the court heard.

Upon her arrival the princess was intubated-ventilated, "which means that a piece of apparatus was making her breathe", Dr Eyraud said.

The anaesthetist went on to explain that the duty surgeon was later called to open up Diana's chest, during which the princess remained reliant on cardiac massage and "did not recover a spontaneous cardiac rhythm".

The inquest also heard from Philippe Boyer, a former officer in the Paris fire service who treated Diana at the crash scene.

'Agitated' princess

Speaking by video link from the French capital, he explained how he remembered the princess muttering the words "What has happened?" and "My God" over and over again.

"She was agitated, it seems that she understood what had happened," he said.

Mr Boyer checked her pulse, which appeared to be "fine and quite strong", while her breathing appeared normal at that stage.

He told the jury: "She had trauma on the right shoulder because her arm was trapped in between the two front seats but that was the only visible injury."

The former fire officer said there did not appear to be any head injuries and he did not see any blood on her head at that stage.

A statement from ambulance driver Michel Massebeuf was also read to the court.

The jury had heard claims that the journey was too slow, but Mr Massebeuf said he drove "smoothly" at 40kph to 50kph (25mph to 31mph) with a police escort under doctor's orders.

He said: "Driving slowly is a rule, the sole objective of which is to preserve a casualty where necessary."

Mr Massebeuf said the ambulance maintained radio silence during the journey to preserve privacy but stopped once for five minutes close to hospital when the princess's condition worsened and required treatment.

The inquest has been adjourned.