Holiday tragedy

Fresh insult to grieving family

THE REVELATION that Thomas Cook received a huge compensation payout, following the deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning of Christi and Bobby Shepherd in Corfu, adds cruel insult to terrible injury for the children’s grieving family.

If reports are correct that the money received by the holiday firm amounted to £3.5m, this is 10 times more than the compensation given to Christi and Bobby’s parents. And while no amount of money could compensate the family for their appalling loss, the payout to Thomas Cook is a manifest injustice.

Of course, Thomas Cook is not responsible for the way in which these levels of compensation were calculated. But, considered alongside its refusal to answer any questions during the recent inquest and its reluctance to say sorry to the family (although it is now reported that chief executive Peter Fankhauser has sent a belated apology), it is clear that Christi and Bobby’s family have been treated very badly indeed.

In giving a verdict of unlawful killing, it should be remembered, the inquest jury said that Thomas Cook had breached its duty of care.

To discover now, therefore, that the firm claimed for this level of compensation, including the costs of media advisors to protect its reputation, is to confirm all previous impressions of Thomas Cook’s shameful attitude to this terrible tragedy.