Coroner will pay tribute to the eight London Bridge terror attack victims as inquest in 2017 massacre opens today Eight people died after terrorists attacked crowds at London Bridge in June 2017 Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba were all shot dead by police An eight-week inquiry into the deaths of victims to begin at the Old Bailey today Chief coroner will be hearing 'pen portraits' of the victims from their loved ones By Alexander Robertson For Mailonline Published: 09:14 BST, 7 May 2019 | Updated: 11:00 BST, 7 May 2019 Viewcomments An inquest into the deaths of eight people killed in the London Bridge terror attack is due to open today. Three women and five men died when three terrorists ploughed into crowds in a white van before stabbing revellers with 12in ceramic knives on June 3, 2017. The victims were Christine Archibald, 30, Xavier Thomas, 45, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sara Zelenak, 21, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sebastien Belanger, 36, James McMullan, 32, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39. Their attackers, Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead by police at the scene. An eight-week inquiry into the victims' deaths will begin at the Old Bailey today, which will be followed by a separate hearing for the inquests of their killers in front of a jury. (Top row left to right) Christine Archibald, James McMullan, Alexandre Pigeard, Sebastien Belanger; (bottom row left to right) Kirsty Boden, Sara Zelenak, Xavier Thomas and Ignacio Echeverria Mark and Julie Wallace, the parents of Sara Zelenak, one of the victims of the London Bridge terror attack, arrive at the Old Bailey Simon and Mila McMullan (centre) the parents of James McMullan, arrive at today's inquest Chief coroner Mark Lucraft QC will deliver a short opening speech before hearing 'pen portraits' of the victims from their loved ones. The attack came just three months after 52-year-old Khalid Masood mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in a hired car before stabbing a police officer to death. The inquest is expected to examine why there were still no barriers to protect pedestrians on London Bridge by June 3. Families will also want answers to the question of how Butt was able to plan and carry out the attack while he was under investigation by security services. Judge Mark Lucraft (shown arriving at the Old Bailey today, left) will preside over the inquest into the killing of eight people during the terror attack in 2017 (right) Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead by police at the scene Armed police pictured on the scene at London Bridge following the terror attack on June 3, 2017 Another issue likely to be raised by lawyers acting for the relatives of the victims is the lack of security checks required to hire rental vehicles after cars and lorries were used as weapons in Nice, Berlin and Westminster Bridge. In the coming weeks, the court will hear from witnesses, the family and friends of the attackers, and a senior MI5 officer. Other evidence is expected to include CCTV footage of the attacks and the terrorists' movements, body-worn video from police officers and footage from members of the public caught up in the carnage. The court will not sit on the second anniversary of the atrocity next month. Other evidence is expected to include CCTV footage of the attacks and the terrorists' movements and body-worn video from police officers Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility