1.
GV Guard of Honour PAN to Guardsmen carrying coffin.
0.19

2.
SCU Guardsmen
0.21

3.
SV Tubman's widow and diplomats.
0.30

4.
LV ZOOM IN to MV Pallbearers with coffin PAN TO following crowd.
0.43

5.
SV Diplomats and mourners pass camera.
0.51

6.
LV ZOOM into MV coffin loaded onto aircraft.
1.10

7.
SV Mrs. Tubman up aircraft steps...turns and waves to crowd.
1.23

8.
LV Aircraft taxis with Guard of Honour in foreground.
1.34



Initials VS/16.33 VS/16.43



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A British Royal Air Force VC-10 carrying the body of President William Tubman of Liberia left London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday (July 25) for the Liberian capital of Monrovia where he will be given a state funeral. President Tubman died in a London hospital on Friday (23 July) following an operation. He had been Head of State in Liberia for 28 years.

Amongst those at the Airport was British Foreign Secretary Sir Alec Douglas-Home. About 50 people, including the late President's widow, Mrs. Antoinette Tubman, boarded the jet aircraft which had been placed at the disposal of the Liberian authorities by Britain.

SYNOPSIS: The body of President William Tubman of Liberia was solemnly borne to a Royal Air Force VC-10 at London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday. President Tubman, aged 75, had died in a London hospital on Friday following an operation.

There were Many diplomats at the Airport. There also were the President's widow and his son, Mr. John Tubman together with Mr. J. Dudley Larence, the Liberian Ambassador in London, President Tubman, whose body was being returned home where there will be a state funeral, had been Liberian Head of State for 28 years.

Britain's Foreign Secretary was amongst the diplomats who had come to pay their respects at the Airport. The VC-10, which was to fly the body and mourners to Monrovia, the Liberian Capital, had been placed at the disposal of the Liberian authorities by Britain.

Mrs. Antoinette Tubman, the President's widow, boarded the aircraft to accompany her husband's body home to Liberia, a country formed in 1822 for the resettlement of former Negro slaves from America. President Tubman became well known for his "open door" policy in a country known for the "Flags of Convenience" of its ships.