Family furious as travel firm gets big payout after deaths in Corfu
TRAVEL FIRM Thomas Cook is facing fresh criticism from the parents of two children killed by carbon monoxide poisoning after it was revealed the company received compensation following the deaths.
The family of Bobby and Christi Shepherd, who died in Corfu in 2006, said that they are “incensed” the travel firm had sought to claim back costs after a 2010 criminal trial in Greece during which three employees from the hotel were found guilty of manslaughter.
The travel company would not reveal the amount which it had been paid in 2013, but it has been reported to be about £3.5m.
The parents said they received only around a tenth of that figure and spoke of their anger.
The children’s mother, Sharon Wood, said: “It seems our children’s lives are worth only a fraction of Thomas Cook’s reputation.”
A spokesman for Thomas Cook said: “After it was clear that the hotel was responsible for the tragedy, all parties affected were compensated and Thomas Cook received a compensation that partly compensated for the costs related to the incident.”
The spokesman said the compensation covered “some of the costs incurred up to and during the trial in Corfu in 2010”.
Last week, an inquest jury said Thomas Cook had “breached their duty of care”.
THE PARENTS of two children killed by carbon monoxide poisoning on holiday in Corfu have hit out at travel firm Thomas Cook, who they accused of not apologising over the deaths following the inquest this week.
Neil Shepherd and Sharon Wood said it was “disgraceful” an apparent letter of apology from Thomas Cook chief executive Peter Fankhauser was only brought to their attention by journalists.
Bobby and Christi Shepherd, from Horbury, near Wakefield, died at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel in 2006 when they were overcome by fumes from a faulty boiler.
A jury at the inquest gave a conclusion of unlawful killing and said Thomas Cook had “breached their duty of care”.
The foreman read out a series of conclusions which included how Thomas Cook had been misled by the hotel about its gas supply, but also how the holiday giant’s health and safety audit of the complex was inadequate.
It has since emerged Thomas Cook received a compensation payout – reportedly about £3.5m – for loss of profits and other expenses. The family received around a tenth of that sum in compensation.
The youngsters’ family said: “It is disgraceful that after all we’ve been through Thomas Cook are still putting us last in the equation.
“We haven’t had this so called letter of apology. We have been shown it by the Press and feel it is an appalling continuation of Thomas Cook’s PR exercise. It’s not an apology for their wrongdoing but a general offer of sympathy.
“It does not address the central issue that their safety management system failed and it does not apologise for that. Our compensation was accepted before the inquest in which Thomas Cook were found to have breached their duty of care.”
A Thomas Cook spokesman said Mr Fankhauser sent a letter of apology to the family on Friday, but refused to go into details.
The children’s mother, Sharon Wood, told the Mail on Sunday: “It seems our children’s lives are worth only a fraction of Thomas Cook’s reputation.”
She said her frustration is not about money, but the family is “incensed” that the travel firm sought to claim back costs after a 2010 criminal trial in Greece during which three employees from the Louis Corcyra Beach hotel were found guilty of manslaughter.
She said the firm should have apologised at the inquest.
Wakefield MP Mary Creagh said the family was upset as the correspondence from Thomas Cook stopped short of apologising.
She said: “It does not address the central issue that their safety management procedures and policies failed, and for that they have not apologised. That is what the inquest in Wakefield found this week, and they have singularly failed to apologise for that.”