Derry man describes 'fear' and 'panic' in Nice

A Derry man who is on holiday in Nice with his girlfriend has described the panic he witnessed at the scene when a truck crashed into a crowd killing at least 84 people.
Images from Nice where a lorry has driven into crowds of people in what is being described as a terror attack.Images from Nice where a lorry has driven into crowds of people in what is being described as a terror attack.
Images from Nice where a lorry has driven into crowds of people in what is being described as a terror attack.

Paddy Mullan was standing on the city’s Promenade des Anglais when he saw the truck approaching.

“This lorry just mounted the kerb, across the street from us and the next thing, all you could hear was banging and shouting and screaming,” he told the BBC.

He said he had “never seen” such fear.

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“There was a lot of panic at one stage because we were right in the mix when all this was happening,” Mr Mullan told BBC Radio Foyle.

“There was a lot of confusion, misdirection, because we didn’t know what exactly was happening, why it was happening.”

Mr Mullan said the truck “came out nowhere” and started “ploughing” into the crowd.

“There were people coming, running up screaming and coming into the restaurant trying to get away, so we didn’t know what it was.

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“We didn’t know if it was people on the ground shooting or if there was a bomb, or what was going on, we were just trying to get away.”

“The Promenade des Anglais, the beach-front walkway, is probably about the same width as a two-lane highway. Imagine that packed with people.

“We were just desperately trying to get back to our apartment, Mr Mullan said.

“I’ve never seen fear like it in all my life and probably never will again.”

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