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Tributes flood in royal hospital nurse

Dec 8, 2012, 15:01 GMT

Prince William and Duchess Catherine

Tributes have flooded in for the nurse who was found dead after being duped into putting a call through to Duchess Catherine's bedside.

Jacintha Saldanha is thought to have taken her own life days after she passed on a prank call from two Australian DJs impersonating Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles at the King Edward VII Hospital. The call led to intimate details of the pregnant Duchess' condition being given away while she stayed at the hospital undergoing treatment for acute morning sickness.

Mother of two Jacintha had been on reception when she took the call, and another nurse gave the details away.

Chairman of the hospital, Lord Glenarthur said: 'This is a tragic event. Jacintha was a first-class nurse who cared diligently for hundreds of patients during her time with us. She will be greatly missed.'

Royal College of Nursing general secretary Dr Peter Carter added: 'It is deeply saddening that a simple human error due to a cruel hoax could lead to the death of a dedicated member of the nursing profession.

'This is tragic news, and the thoughts of all at the Royal College of Nursing go to the family of Jacintha Saldanha.'

Both of the DJs who made the call, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, have been taken off the air and closed their Twitter accounts in the wake of the incident.

Rhys Holleran, the Chief Executive of Southern Cross Austereo Media, which owns 2Day FM said he was 'deeply saddened' by Jacintha's death.

He added: 'I have spoken with the presenters concerned, they are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances.'

The royal family had not made a complaint against Jacintha and she was not being reprimanded by the hospital for the mistake.

William and Catherine - who is now resting at home after her treatment - have also revealed how saddened they are by the death.

The statement read: 'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacintha Saldanha. Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time.'