Anguish of widow as husband is f lown home with no heart
Organs ‘snatched’ in Egypt
A BRITISH grandfather who died in Egypt had his heart and kidneys removed before his body was repatriated.
David Humphries, 62, died after collapsing in a swimming pool at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
The father-of-four and his wife of 39 years, Lynda, were on a two-week holiday in September with their daughter and grandchildren when he fell ill.
A UK coroner ordered a second postmortem examination after the mechanic’s body was returned home and the shocking discovery was made.
His grieving widow, 59, said: ‘It is bad enough trying to come to terms with his death. We just want answers as to why he returned to the UK with parts of him missing.’
It follows the mysterious deaths of John Cooper, 69, and his wife Susan, 64, from Burnley, at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada on August 21.
Mr Cooper, a building firm boss, died in his hotel room, while Mrs Cooper passed away in hospital several hours later.
‘His heart will tell us why he died’
Their family have raised fears they may have been poisoned after a ‘funny smell’ was detected in their hotel room.
Mr Humphries had complained of chest pains a week into his holiday and went to the Red Sea Hospital where he was given antibiotics. He returned to his hotel but died on September 18.
After five hours of interviews in Egypt following his death, his family was told an autopsy was being carried out despite them being against it.
However, the family were told it was procedural because they had raised concerns over the treatment he had received at the hospital.
Following this, the family returned home on September 22, while Mr Humphries’ body was flown home via Dubai on October 1.
His daughter Anita Goodall, 36, said: ‘We didn’t trust anyone any more but they told us it was a police inquiry. When the body arrived home, we were told it was in no state to be seen. That’s when alarms started ringing. His heart is most likely the thing that will tell us how he died. Now we’ll never know.
‘In Egypt, they believe that someone can’t be laid to rest without their heart. So I just don’t understand why they would do this to our family.’
She added: ‘We are totally in shock and don’t know what to do or think. Dad will be buried without his heart. Some say that the heart is the soul and it is the heart that takes you to heaven, but Dad won’t have his heart to take with him.’
The family has now instructed a law firm to investigate the matter.
Debbie Manders, from Irwin Mitchell solicitors, said: ‘This is a terrible situation for the family to find themselves in.
‘It is difficult enough to lose a loved one abroad but to then find organs missing when a person is repatriated to the UK has just added to the pain the family is suffering.
‘The laws surrounding the removal of organs in Egypt are very strict. We are working with lawyers there to find out what has happened so we can provide David’s family with much-needed answers.’
Egypt is no stranger to illegal organ markets with millions of dollars being made by organised crime rings. In a bid to reduce organ trafficking, the full removal of organs is illegal under Egyptian law.
Earlier this year, however, 37 people were convicted of being involved in illicit sales of organs.
Mrs Humphries added: ‘Dave was the most loving, careful and generous man who lived for his family.
‘One minute he was playing in the pool with the grandkids and the next he was slumped over with his eyes in the back of his head.
‘I will never forget seeing him in so much pain and feeling so helpless that I couldn’t do anything for him.’