Obituary: Rachelle Chung For Yuen

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Rachelle Chung For YuenImage source, PA
Image caption,
Mrs Chung For Yuen was an accountant in the West End

Fate played a part in placing Rachelle Chung For Yuen on the same Piccadilly Line train as the bomber on 7 July 2005, as it did with many others killed in the blasts.

The 27-year-old accountant from Mauritius left her Mill Hill home in north London and found that signal failures were sending all Northern Line trains along the Bank branch, through King's Cross.

Mrs Chung For Yuen was heading to work in Piccadilly Circus and so disembarked at King's Cross to change lines.

Her husband Billy, 29, also from Mauritius, never saw her again after she left their house that day.

He and friends of Mrs Chung For Yuen handed out leaflets across the West End and at stations and hospitals in London in a desperate attempt to find her.

Originally from Curepipe in Mauritius where her father ran a corner shop, the eldest of three children studied at the Our Lady High School.

She decided against university, and instead carved out a career in accountancy.

She financed her studies herself and in 2000 moved to London to complete her ACCA qualification. A year later, she was qualified and went on to join Mees Pierson Intertrust, a subsidiary of the Fortis Group.

It was around this time that she met the man who was to become her husband.

In 2003, the couple moved into a terraced house in Wood Green and married the following year at Haringey register office. By 2004 they were living in a flat in Mill Hill.

Her sister's wedding in Mauritius in June 2005 was the last time she saw all her family and she told friends and relatives that things were going well.

At the inquest into her death, her husband said in a statement: "Rachelle was taught from a young age that family values were extremely important, and she always cherished her family above anything else.

"When she was in London, she would never fail to call home to check if everything was fine. She would buy presents for everybody, particularly at Christmas time, and would never forget a birthday.

"Her younger sisters always held her in the highest regard, as Rachelle would take care of them and do everything to help them."

Her funeral service in 2005 in her homeland was attended by the country's most senior statesmen.

President Sir Anerood Jugnauth, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and opposition leader Paul Berenger were among the congregation.