Source · Prevention of Future Deaths
Sousse (Tunisia)
Ref: 2017-0206
Date: 7 Jul 2017
Coroner: HHJ Loraine-Smith
Area: London (West)
Responses identified: 0 / 4
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Travel companies lacked board-level security advisors and failed to prominently display government travel advice, leaving customers potentially uninformed about terrorism risks in destination countries.
Date
7 Jul 2017
56-day deadline
31 Aug 2017
Responses identified
0 of 4
Coroner's concerns
Travel companies lacked board-level security advisors and failed to prominently display government travel advice, leaving customers potentially uninformed about terrorism risks in destination countries.
View full coroner's concerns
(1) I heard evidence that prior to the attack neither TUI nor other travel companies had security advisors on their boards. The evidence of a TUI witness was that “security was a matter for the accommodation hoteliers and providers”. I am informed that TUI now have such an advisor. However I remain concerned that if other companies do not have similar security advisors at board level then hotels which they use will not be adequately protected.
(2) I heard evidence that prior to the attack, TUI’s websites for Thomson and First Choice did not prominently display logos and links to the Government’s Travel Aware programme, which provides detailed travel advice for every country on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. I heard evidence that TUI have taken steps to change their website and promotional literature to make these logos and links more prominent. I remain concerned that other companies which sell holidays, or sell flights and hotel accommodation separately, may not have taken such steps, as a result of which members of the public receive insufficient information about the risks of terrorist attacks in destination countries.
(2) I heard evidence that prior to the attack, TUI’s websites for Thomson and First Choice did not prominently display logos and links to the Government’s Travel Aware programme, which provides detailed travel advice for every country on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. I heard evidence that TUI have taken steps to change their website and promotional literature to make these logos and links more prominent. I remain concerned that other companies which sell holidays, or sell flights and hotel accommodation separately, may not have taken such steps, as a result of which members of the public receive insufficient information about the risks of terrorist attacks in destination countries.
Report sections
Investigation and inquest
On 3 July 2015 an investigation commenced into the death of 30 British nationals killed in Sousse on 26 June 2015. Their names are: Christopher Bell Sharon Bell Lisa Burbidge Scott Chalkley Stuart Cu lien Suzanne Davey Christopher Dyer Adrian Evans Charles Evans Angela Fisher Raymond Fisher Lisa Graham William Graham Philip Heathcote Trudy Jones Carly Lovett Ann McQuire James McQuire Stephen Mellor Joel Richards John Stollery Janet Stocker John Stocker Eileen Swannack David Thompson Denis Thwaites Elaine Thwaites John Welch Bruce Wilkinson Claire Windass The investigation concluded at the end of the Inquests on 28 February 2017. The conclusion of the Inquests was that each of the thirty victims was killed on the morning of 26 June 2015 by a terrorist armed with a high velocity firearm and improvised explosive devices, when that terrorist began shooting at tourists on the beach and inside the grounds of the Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse in the Republic of Tunisia. Twenty nine of the victims were killed by a gunshot wound or wounds when the terrorist opened fire. One victim, Stuart Cuilen, was killed as a result of blast-generated fragments as well as being shot by the terrorist. Each victim sustained the fatal injuries in the hotel grounds, inside the hotel or on the hotel’s beach
Circumstances of the death
The circumstances of the deaths are described in the narrative conclusion above.
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Report details
- Reference
- 2017-0206
- Date of report
- 7 July 2017
- Coroner
- HHJ Loraine-Smith
- Coroner area
- London (West)
Responses identified
Responses identified
0 of 4
4 responses not yet linked
Organisations named in PFD reports are normally expected to respond within 56 days. Deadline: 31 Aug 2017.
Sent to
- ABTA
- Civil Aviation Authority
- Department for Transport
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office