THEY DIED BEFORE MY VERY EYES
Sudden deaths of ‘healthy’ parents are ‘suspicious’ says grief-stricken daughter
THE daughter of a British couple who died on holiday in Egypt believes there is “something suspicious” about their deaths.
Kelly Ormerod, 40, said her 69-year-old father John Cooper died “before her eyes” in their hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada. Her mother Susan, 63, was rushed to hospital where she also passed away.
Egyptian officials insist the couple died from natural causes but there is speculation that
they were killed by carbon monoxide from a faulty air conditioner.
Mrs Ormerod said yesterday: “I believe something suspicious has gone on. I don’t believe anyone has entered their hotel room but I believe something happened in the room for them both to be taken away from me. They both died before my eyes. They had exactly the same symptoms.”
She added: “I entered their room in the morning and they were both extremely ill. Doctors came to the room and they couldn’t save Dad. They just couldn’t help and he died before my eyes. I got an ambulance with Mum to hospital and while she was in hospital she died.”
Mrs Ormerod has ordered a private post mortem examination which is likely to be completed today. She said: “I now have to keep strong for the children’s sake and have to get out of this country and get back to the UK. I am at the beck and call of the authorities and they will give me no indication of when I can leave the country.”
The Coopers, from Burnley, were on a package holiday with travel agent Thomas Cook, staying at the Aqua Magic hotel.
Devastated
The company says it has not found any evidence of carbon monoxide poisoning. But it has moved its customers out of the hotel amid “raised levels of illness”.
The Thomas Cook store in Burnley where Mrs Cooper is believed to work was shut yesterday with a door notice explaining “unforseen circumstances”.
Mrs Ormerod said her parents had been “fit and healthy” when they went on their “trip of a lifetime” with their daughter and three grandchildren.
Nearly 300 Thomas Cook customers have been moved amid claims by some guests that they have been struck down with food poisoning.
Mrs Ormerod said: “As a family we are devastated. Mum and Dad meant the world to me and the children and we are in utter shock over what has happened and what is happening. Prior to going on holiday, Mum and Dad were fit and healthy. They had no health problems at all. We have no cause of death and a post-mortem is under way.
“Dad died in the hotel room in front of me. I went to hospital in the ambulance with Mum, where she passed away. Thomas Cook have been amazing. I can’t praise them enough for what they have done. My focus is on getting my children home. All we want is answers about what has happened and a cause of death. I would also like to thank people at home for their messages of love and support during this horrendous ordeal.”
Other guests criticised Thomas Cook for not acting quickly enough, however, after guests first reported being taken ill with food poisoning. Alison Cope said at least 40 tourists fell ill at the hotel during her holiday there this week.
She told BBC Radio 4: “At least 40 people have had sickness, diarrhoea and feeling unwell but Thomas Cook was keeping it very quiet.” She added on Facebook: “I think the food standards in the hotel have been very poor.”
A holidaymaker from Birmingham, who did not want to be named, said his 16-year-old daughter was still “on her knees with food poisoning” after falling ill at the Aqua Magic last week. He said: “She was on holiday with her boyfriend and three other families and many of them became ill.
“We flew her home and she’s been extremely ill ever since. Her mother’s been crying and so worried about her. The Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham confirmed it was food poisoning.”
Thomas Cook refused to comment yesterday and the hotel dis-
missed the claims as “rash speculation”. The Aqua Magic is owned by Deutsche Hospitality, a German company with dozens of luxury hotels across the globe.
Dieter Geiger, general manager, released a statement yesterday dismissing “speculation” over food poisoning. It read: “We are deeply saddened by the deaths. In such a circumstance, very little can be said that will help. This makes it even more important to stick to the facts. The doctor’s preliminary report indicates that death was due to natural causes.”
Thomas Cook first said it had decided to move people out as “a precautionary measure due to a raised level of illness among guests”. Then in an updated statement yesterday, it said: “The hotel was last audited by Thomas Cook in late July 2018 and received an overall score of 96 per cent.
“There are no indications to support allegations of an increased incidence of illness at the hotel. Such rash speculation should urgently be put aside out of respect for the family members of the deceased and for other guests.
“The circumstances of their deaths remain unclear. We are aware of the speculation in some of today’s media that their deaths may have been caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. Currently we have no evidence to support this.
“A team of 24 Thomas Cook representatives have been supporting our 300 customers in the hotel overnight. We are offering customers alternative hotels within Hurghada, as well as giving them the option to return home. For those customers who choose to come home, we have made arrangements. While we understand this is upsetting for those on holiday, we believe this is the right thing to do.
“We continue to work closely with the hotel and are supporting the authorities with their investigations. We will be contacting those customers due to travel to Hurghada in the next four weeks to offer alternative holiday options.”
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism insisted there was no “criminal activity” in either death and released a statement saying Mr Cooper died of “sudden cardiac arrest and respiratory failure” and his wife died of “circulatory collapse and respiratory failure”.
Health officials in Egpyt initially said Mr Cooper suffered a heart attack and his wife died “of grief” from the shock.