HOSPITAL AND INJURED: COFFINS AND WREATHS: MOURNERS AT CATHEDRAL: BELGIAN MINISTER OF EDUCATION: COFFINS AND WREATHS INTO AMBULANCES: KING BAUDOUIN MEETS AIRCRAFT CARRYING BEREAVED PARENTS AND RELATIVES AT AIRPORT.




Initials SHB/V/BHH/EEH/OS



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Background: A MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS HELD IN THE CATHEDRAL OF LIMBURG, WEST GERMANY, TODAY (TUESDAY) FOR THE 28 CHILDREN AND FIVE ADULTS KILLED IN THE HOLIDAY COACH CRASH ON THE BUSY COLOGNE-FRANKFURT AUTOBAHN AT DAWN YESTERDAY (MONDAY). THE PARENTS OF MANY OF THE CHILDREN WERE FLOWN SPECIALLY TO LIMBURG TO IDENTIFY THE BODIES. ON THEIR RETURN TO BRUSSELS THEY WERE MET BY KING BAUDOUIN, WHO OFFERED HIS PERSONAL CONSOLATION.

THERE WERE TRAGIC SCENES AT THE CATHEDRAL TOWN OF LIMBURG AS THE PARENTS AND RELATIVES WERE LED PAST A DOUBLE ROW OF COFFINS TO IDENTIFY THE DEAD. THE CHILDREN -- AGED BETWEEN 13 AND 18 -- HOME FROM AN AUSTRIAN HOLIDAY RIPPED THROUGH A SAFETY BARRIER ON THE AUTOBAHN AND CRASHED 60 FEET (18 METRES) ONTO A SECONDARY ROAD BELOW.

THE PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN -- POLICEMEN, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND SABENA AIRLINE OFFICIALS LIVING IN OR AROUND BRUSSELS--TRAVELLED ON TO LIMBURG IN THREE BUSES.

AT THE MEMORIAL SERVICE IN THE CATHEDRAL THERE WERE WREATHS FROM KING BAUDOUIN AND QUEEN FABIOLA, FROM THE CITY OF SALZBURG, AND FROM MANY OTHERS. BELGIAN SOLDIERS CARRIED THE COFFINS. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BELGIAN AND WEST GERMAN GOVERNMENTS WERE PRESENT AT THE SERVICE AND ALSO LAID WREATHS.

DOCTORS WERE FIGHTING FOR THE LIVES OF SOME OF THE TEN INJURED CHILDREN WHO WERE TAKEN TO THREE HOSPITALS IN THE LIMBURG AREA.

WHEN THE BEREAVED PARENTS AND RELATIVES RETURNED TO MELSBREECK MILITARY AIRPORT TONIGHT (TUESDAY) THEY WERE MET BY KING BAUDOUIN, WHO PERSONALLY OFFERED HIS SYMPATHY.