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Thomas Cook: ‘No evidence of carbon monoxide’ in Hurghada deaths
Thomas Cook has issued an updated statement following the deaths of one of its travel agents and her husband at a hotel in Hurghada.
The operator was reacting to news reports that the couple, John and Susan Cooper, may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel on Tuesday.
Thomas Cook’s updated statement said: "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."
The family is still awaiting the results of postmortem examinations, after a preliminary report by a local doctor said Mr Cooper, 69, had died from a heart attack and his wife, 63, had died later in hospital, possibly from ‘grief’. Later, authorities said they had both suffered respiratory problems.
The couple’s daughter, Kelly Ormerod, who was on holiday with them at the hotel, told Lancashire radio station 2BR her parents had no prior health problems.
She said: "We are in utter shock about what has happened. Prior to going on holiday, Mum and Dad were fit and healthy. They had no health problems at all.
"Dad never went to hospital – he died in the hotel room in front of me. I went to hospital in the ambulance with Mum, where she passed away."
Several people have since said they had been feeling unwell while staying at the hotel. One woman, Alison Cope, from Birmingham, told Radio 4’s Today programme that her family had been among ‘about 40’ families that had reported being ill.
Thomas Cook added: "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 to fly them back today, 24 August. 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. The Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel was last audited by Thomas Cook in late July 2018 and received an overall score of 96%.
"We will be contacting those customers due to travel to the Steigenberger Hotel in Hurghada in the next four weeks to offer alternative holiday options."
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Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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