A woman who plunged into the Thames during Wednesday’s terror attack did not jump from Westminster Bridge to escape the attacker’s car, but was instead hurled into the water by the force of the vehicle, a senior diplomat has said.

Andreea Cristea, a 29-year-old Romanian architect, was spotted in the river soon after the attack. In the confusion that followed, there was speculation that Ms Cristea had leaped from the bridge to escape the violence.

But Romanian ambassador Dan Mihalache said Ms Cristea had been “practically thrown” into the river by the car.

He added that the 29-year-old had been on holiday in London with her boyfriend, Andrei Burnaz, to celebrate his birthday at the time. He said Mr Burnaz, an engineer, had planned to propose to her that same day.

CCTV footage of Andreea Cristea falling from the bridge has been widely circulated online (Andreea Cristea/Facebook)

On Friday afternoon, Ms Cristea had not regained consciousness, but was in a stable condition following an operation for a blood clot on her brain.

Mr Burnaz was treated in hospital for a fractured foot.

Dramatic CCTV footage of the architect falling from the bridge has been widely circulated online.

Mr Mihalache told the BBC: “It’s a miracle she survived. She was practically thrown into the Thames.

“They were tourists, they had come to celebrate [a] birthday. He intended to ask her for marriage [sic] in the same day [as the attack], and this was unfortunately the destiny.”

Soon after the attack was over, port officials said that they had pulled a woman from the water, injured but alive and that she was treated for serious injuries.

“A female member of the public was pulled from the water near Westminster Bridge, alive, with serious injuries,” a Port of London Authority spokesman told Reuters in the aftermath of the attack. “She’s undergoing very urgent medical treatment now.”

In pictures: Westminster attack Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Westminster attack In pictures: Westminster attack An air ambulance lands after gunfire sounds were heard close to the Palace of Westminster in London PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack MPs wait until the situation is under control in Westminster. 'The alleged assailant was shot by armed police,' David Lidington, leader of the House of Commons, told the house. BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Crowds gather in Westminster after shooting incident, which police are treating as terror attack BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Police were also called to an incident on Westminster Bridge nearby AP In pictures: Westminster attack Early reports indicate the car, which mounted the pavement on Westminster Bridge and mowed into around a dozen people, was the same vehicle which then rammed into the railings of the Palace of Westminster, just around the corner Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack Security sources described the suspected assailant as a middle-aged Asian man, who is understood to have left the car before attacking a police officer with a seven-to-eight inch knife PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack Police have asked people to avoid the immediate area to allow emergency services to deal with the ongoing incident AP In pictures: Westminster attack One woman has died and a number of others, including the police officer, have been hurt, according to a junior doctor at St Thomas' Hospital Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack At least three gun shots were heard by those inside Westminster, and proceedings in the House of Commons have been suspended AP

The river was closed to all non-emergency traffic for much of the time after the attack.

A London bus driver who described the panic after the attack said that he was aware someone was in the water soon after a car was driven down Westminster Bridge. “Once I got everyone off the bus I heard someone shouting that his wife had jumped into the river to avoid getting knocked over,” Michael Adamou told The Independent.

Four people were killed, in addition to attacker Khalid Masood, and at least 50 people injured on Wednesday in the attack outside the Houses of Parliament.

Two people remain in hospital in a critical condition, while one person has life threatening injuries. Two police officers sustained serious injuries, Scotland Yard said.