Police admit security breach as woman gets into ambulance carrying Warne’s body

03/07/2022

Thai police have admitted a security breach took place after a women got into the back of the ambulance transporting the body of Shane Warne from the island of Koh Samui.

Footage has emerged of a female, carrying a bunch of flowers, approaching the vehicle whilst it was stationary on a ferry and then being allowed to spend around 40 seconds inside.

The ferry was making its final preparations to leave Koh Samui for the mainland, where Warne's body was the subject of an autopsy on Sunday.

The video showed a blonde woman approaching the ambulance, along with a Thai woman who could be seen in discussion with local immigration officials near the vehicle ramp down to the car ferry.

When the official points to the vessel, the Thai woman bows.

In English, she said: "Yeah, yeah she knows him."

In Thai, she then says: "Thank you very much, she's a friend."

The pair were then escorted by an official through multiple rows of cars to the front of the vessel, where the ambulance was parked.

As they reached the back of the van, the blonde woman approached the driver's window and showed him the flowers, and following a conversation he got out and opened the sliding door to the van.

He then allowed her to get in, before she reemerged almost a minute later.

Royal Thai Police tracked the two females down and asked them to come to Bo Phut Police station, where they helped officers with their enquiries.

The woman, named 'Barbara', is a German national who lives on Koh Samui and her acquaintance came along to translate, according to police.

According to ABC, Lieutenant General Surachate said an investigation had been ordered into the intrusion but police had concluded she had not broken any laws by placing flowers at Warne’s body.

“We have to accept that it was [a mistake] for police to miss her and we investigated,” he said. “We found that she did not mean harm. She just wanted to pay her last respects.”

The Koh Samui resident, apologised when visiting the police station on Monday: “I’m a big fan of him. It’s very sad that we lost him,” she told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age . “I took the flowers to pay condolences. I am sorry about yesterday, but I do not mean it as a negative act. I am a big fan, he’s a great player.”

The Australian cricket legend was found dead in his luxury villa on the island last Friday, aged 52, having suffered a suspected heart attack. His death came just 24 hours after the passing of another cricket icon from Down Under, Rodney Marsh.

Warne's family have since accepted an offer from Victoria premier Daniel Andrews for a state funeral, with the politician saying: "It will be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to his contribution to his sport, to our state and the country."

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