During the inquest in London, Jean-Claude Catheline and his wife, Annick, testified via a video link from Paris, that they saw the cars as they were walking near the entrance to the tunnel, The Telegraph reported Monday. Moments after they saw the two vehicles, the couple said they heard the sound of tires squealing as the Mercedes crashed, killing the princess, her companion Dodi Fayed and their driver Henri Paul.

"As soon as the car disappeared from our view we heard what sounded like the bodywork bumping, I think that this noise was before the car entered the tunnel," Catheline told the inquest.

Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker opened the inquest into the 1997 death of the princess, Fayed and their driver on Oct. 1.