Biographer Andrew Morton involved in fatal honeymoon crash

 
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY GUY JACKSON Royal author Andrew Morton speaks to an AFP journalist at his home in London, on April 19, 2011. Kate Middleton will avoid the problems experienced by Princess Diana when she marries into a royal family that has changed greatly in 30 years, leading royal author Andrew Morton says. Morton laid bare the deep unhappiness in Diana's marriage to Prince Charles with his 1992 book "Diana: Her True Story", which he later revealed had been written from tapes that the princess had recorded. AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL
AFP/Getty
Nicolene Smalman19 November 2012

Princess Diana's biographer Andrew Morton has told of how he survived a horrific fatal car crash - in which an adult and baby died - while on honeymoon.

Speaking from his hospital bed in South Africa the 58-year-old said the accident happened as they were heading to the airport to fly back to Britain.

His 51-year-old wife, Ms Carolyn Morton has already been discharged from Mediclinic Nelspruit’s ICU.

The Mortons arrived in South Africa at the beginning of the month and kicked off their honeymoon in Cape Town.

“It was a marvelous holiday. We were watching lions and a female leopard shortly before hitting the road and that horrible accident happened,” he said.

“I am well under the circumstances. The other people are dead,” he added.

The accident occurred at about 12:00 on the R40 between Big 5 Backpackers and Protea Hotel.

The Mortons - who also stayed in Franschoek prior to their stay at Leadwood Lodge in the Lowveld - were on their way to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport near White River in a Mahindra which was being driven by Johan Scholtz of Tamboti Tours.

Mr Morton, who has written about Princess of Wales, Diana; Tom Cruise; Angelina Jolie and Monica Lewinsky said: “It was a head-on collission. Had my wife and I not been wearing safety belts, we would have been dead."

Scholtz said “everything happened so fast”.

He recalled he had been driving up a steep hill when the Honda approached him at high speed.

“It couldn’t make the turn and collided with my vehicle. It was a matter of seconds and I couldn’t do anything to avoid a collision,” he said.

Paramedics of Langamed swiftly arrived at the scene.

Two occupants of the Honda, a woman and a baby, estimated to have been only two months old, were declared dead.

A third passenger of the Honda was taken to Matikwane Hospital with serious injuries.

Andrew sustained fractured ribs and his wife a fractured sternum. They were taken to Mediclinic. Carolyn has already been discharged. “The treatment at the hospital is really exemplary,” Morton said.

Scholtz sustained fractured ribs himself, but was not admited to hospital.

This had been Andrew’s second visit to South Africa.

Mr Joseph Mabuza, spokesman for the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, said post-mortems were due to be being carried out on the deceased.

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