Families of Tunisia terror attack victims to sue travel firm TUI after inquest verdict
The families of British victims of the Isis-inspired Tunisia terror attack plan to sue tour operator TUI after a coroner ruled all 30 were unlawfully killed.
It comes after coroner Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith rejected calls from relatives to rule that neglect by the travel firm or the owners of the Rui Imperial Merhaba Hotel in Sousse played a role in the deaths.
He ruled on Wednesday that all 30 Britons had been murdered while innocently holidaying in the Mediterranean in on June 26, 2015.
Gunman Seifeddine Rezgui killed a total of 38 people when he opened fire using a machine gun, grenades and explosives in his killing spree.
In a statement outside the Royal Courts of Justice after the inquests finished, Kylie Hutchison, from law firm Irwin Mitchell, which represents most of the victims' families, said: "It is now crucial that the whole travel industry learns from what happened in Sousse to reduce the risk of similar catastrophic incidents in the future.
"On behalf of our clients who lost members of their family and those who suffered injuries in this terrible incident, we will now be preparing to commence civil proceedings against TUI."
Ms Hutchinson said that during the seven-week inquest, the coroner and families had heard “shocking evidence” about the security precautions at the hotel at the time of the attack.
She said that steps to improve security were not implemented at the hotel in the wake of an escalating terror threat in Tunisia, a failed suicide bomb attack at a beach in Sousse or an attack at the Bardo Museum in March 2015.
Ms Hutchinson said tour operator TUI had said it was “unaware” of a letter sent out by the Tunisian minister of tourism requiring all hotels to improve security.
She added: "Our clients are very grateful to the coroner for his careful and sensitive handling of the inquest proceedings.
"They feel that he has been fair and thorough in his investigation and appreciate how he has tried to ensure throughout the families come first."
Nick Longman, the managing director of TUI UK, said the attack had "shocked and devastated all of us".
Speaking to reporters outside court he said: "We are so very sorry for the pain and loss those affected have suffered.
"On that day the world changed. As an industry we have adapted and we will need to continue to do so.
"This terrorist incident has left its mark on all of us and its impact will always be remembered."
