London, Nov 14: The first doctor to treat Princess Diana after her car crash in Paris ten years ago believed she would survive, the inquest into her death has heard.

Dr Frederic Mailliez was driving through the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in which the princess, her partner Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul died when he saw their wrecked Mercedes.

He told jurors via video-link from Paris that both Fayed and Paul were dead when he arrived at the scene, although Diana was still alive.

"She was alive. She was moaning, she was breathing but she was really weak, " the Daily Mail quoted Mailliez, as saying.

Richard Keen QC, representing the family of Paul, asked Mailliez: "Do you remember saying that you thought the lady you had treated would survive? "

He answered: "Yes, I said that. ”

"I do not remember any injury on her forehead. I just remember a few drops of blood but I would not say a serious injury, ” he added.

"I did not have any way to make any precise diagnosis. I did not have the equipment to take the blood pressure so my supposition of diagnosis was the head injury but I had to suspect something serious. "

Mailliez, who also told the inquest that he only realised his patient had been Princess Diana when watching news bulletins the following day, went on to say: "I remember the horn making a noise and I remember the front of the car was damaged, the engine almost cut in two parts; that showed me that it was a high-energy accident. "

The doctor added that he had handed over to the medical response team when the first ambulance arrived after personally ringing the emergency services dispatch centre directly; having previously worked as an emergency doctor for the Paris fire brigade. (ANI)