An elderly American priest has died more than three weeks after he was involved in a car accident which left a nun dead and US Ambassador to Malta Douglas Kmiec seriously injured.

Mgr John Sheridan, 94, died on Friday from heart failure, according to The Malibu Times.

The crash in California had also killed Sr Mary Campbell, 74, while Prof. Kmiec had to undergo several interventions though his condition is now said to be improving.

The accident happened when the Hyundai Accent driven by the ambassador crashed into a ditch. The authorities said the accident remains under investigation and that dashboard control adjustments may have been a factor in the accident.

Writing in The Sunday Times last week, Prof. Kmiec said the car crash that resulted in the death of his dear friend and the serious injury of his confessor would ­forever haunt his days and nights.

Prof. Kmiec wrote of Mgr Sheridan: “A priest for over 65 years, pastor emeritus of Our Lady of Malibu, his influence is global in every universal aspect of the Church.”

On Sr Campbell, he said: “Nothing gave Mary greater joy than cheerfully preparing the monsignor’s calendar, and then cheerfully rearranging it when the beloved man couldn’t resist the entreaties of one or another parishioner to just look in on Jack or Ann or Bernadette who was desperately sad or whose faith was challeneged by age or illness... or even the horror of an ­accident.”