Bus driver in death crash case: I didn’t know that I’d hit anyone

A bus driver arrested over an accident in which a medical student was killed and her body dragged for up to a mile has told bosses that he did not know he had struck someone.

The 50-year-old driver of the N5 double decker has been suspended as a matter of routine following the accident early last Thursday.

Mingwei Tan, 20, a student at Cambridge University, was found in the road with fatal injuries in Haverstock Hill just before 2am.

Her body is believed to have been dragged by the night bus.

Investigators are examining CCTV images from the bus in an effort to establish how the student was hit as she left the Royal Free Hospital in Pond Street.

The Metroline bus company said it was doing everything to co-operate with the police and had launched its own investigation.

Miss Tan was a Cambridge medical undergraduate who was due to start her third year at the university's Peterhouse College, where she was studying medical science.

She was also the president of the Cambridge University karate club.

Dr Philip Pattenden, senior tutor at Peterhouse College, said: "She was doing very well in medical sciences and was a popular member of our community, always full of joy. She will be truly missed."

Police believe that after Miss Tan was hit by the bus, it turned left into Haverstock Hill, travelling south, past Belsize Park Tube station. Several personal items, including a purse and mobile phone, as well as blood, were found by investigators outside the station.

Her body was discovered near the junction with Downside Crescent.

The bus driver was arrested on Friday and bailed yesterday pending further inquiries. A post-mortem examination carried out on Friday revealed that Miss Tan died of multiple injuries.

An inquest into her death was expected to be opened and adjourned at St Pancras coroner's court today.