Car hits crowd during Dutch parade; TV says 2 dead

[April 30, 2009]  APELDOORN, Netherlands (AP) -- A speeding car raced toward an open bus carrying Dutch Queen Beatrix and her family during a holiday parade Thursday and careened through spectators.

Dutch television said two people were killed and about a dozen injured, but police in Apeldoorn declined to confirm the casualty toll or comment further on the incident.

The small black car appeared to be heading at high speed toward the royal bus and passed within a few meters of it before plowing into a stone monument. The incident was witnessed by The Associated Press.

People were seen flying through the air after the car swerved across police railings, where the crowd was lined up five or six deep to see the immensely popular royal family pass on its way to the Het Loo palace on the Queen's Day national holiday.

It was not clear how the car managed enter the parade area, which police had sealed off hours before.

Police officers removed a man from the vehicle and put him into an ambulance. Other officers gave medical aid to spectators before they were taken to hospital.

Shortly after the incident, investigators and a sniffer dog examined the car for explosives, then sawed off the roof of the car for a closer inspection.

The TV initially put the number of casualties at 14 before reporting two fatalities.

Dutch television footage showed Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife, Princess Maxima, standing at their seats in the bus's high open platform and watching with surprise. Maxima held her hand over her mouth in apparent horror.

The bus was not hit and no one in the queen's entourage was injured.

A policeman narrowly escaped injury when he jumped off his bicycle to avoid being hit.

Apeldoorn Mayor Fred de Graaf said all festivities were being canceled. "The scare and the images that the family has seen are reason to break off the official program," he said. Holiday programs also were called off in the port city of Rotterdam, and more were likely to be canceled around the country.

Journalist Peter von de Vorst told RTL television that the bizarre incident was like watching a horrible movie.

"It was a really nice day. Then you hear a bang. Everyone looks up and you see people indeed flying through the air. This must be a joke or a strange prank. Then suddenly panic, and you realize that something really terrible has happened," he said.

Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to the main Dutch cities on Wednesday night and Thursday to celebrate the national holiday, originally intended to celebrate the birthday of Beatrix's mother Queen Juliana.

The royal family normally spends the day in a small Dutch community.

[Associated Press; By CYNTHIA BOLL]

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