Westminster victim Andreea Cristea took photo moments before being hurled into Thames

Andreea Cristea was flung into the River Thames and died when hit by the terrorist’s car (family handout/PA) Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

A Romanian tourist had taken a photo of the London Eye on her mobile phone just moments before she was thrown into the Thames in the Westminster Bridge attack, an inquest has heard.

Andreea Cristea was seen looking down at her phone as she walked across Westminster Bridge with her boyfriend Andrei Burnaz.

After being struck by Khalid Masood’s hire car, she was sent flying into the river.

The interior designer was secured in the water with a boat hook and later retrieved by a fire crew, the inquest was told.

The court was played a frantic 999 call made by witness Michael Brown.

In the recording, his panicked voice can be heard saying: “There’s a woman in the water drowning.”

CCTV footage was shown of a crew member from a Millennium Clipper Cruise Boat running to get a boat hook to rescue the 31-year-old from the water.

The Romanian was with her boyfriend at the time of the attack Credit: Met Police/PA

He used the pole to move Miss Cristea, seen floating face down, towards a fire service boat.

Gareth Patterson QC, for the family, suggested people in the area had taken photographs of the tragic scene.

Detective Constable Simon Osland said: “It’s quite common. Anything like this, people use their phones to take pictures and video in all sorts of emergencies.”

The inquest is due to hear from Mr Burnaz on Thursday.