Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2017
Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2017-0206, written 7 Jul 2017. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.
| Date of report | 7 Jul 2017 |
|---|---|
| Reference | 2017-0206 |
| Deceased | Sousse (Tunisia) |
| Coroner | HHJ Loraine-Smith |
| Coroner area | West London |
| Category | Other related deaths |
| Source | judiciary.uk record · original PDF |
| Responses published | none published |
Text extracted from the PDF text layer. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.
REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 7. The Secretary of State for Transport 2. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 3. The Chief Executive of ABTA 4. The Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority CORONER I am HHJ Loraine-Smith, the Judge appointed to conduct the Inquests into the deaths of the 30 British nationals who were killed in Sousse on 26 June 2015. 2 CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS I make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. 3 INVESTIGATION and INOUESTS 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 1 grounds, inside the hotel or on the hotel’s beach 4 CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATHS The circumstances of the deaths are described in the narrative conclusion above. 5 CORONER’S CONCERNS During the course of the inquests the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. — (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. 6 ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and/or your organisations have the power to take such action. 7 YOUR RESPONSE You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by 31 August 2017. I, the coroner, may extend the period. Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed. 8 COPIES and PUBLICATION I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons (the families of all those named above and TUI UK Ltd). I am also under a duty to send the Chief Coroner a copy of your response. The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response, about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner. 9 7Ju1y2077 /gi. 2
See every Prevention of Future Deaths report matching HHJ Loraine-Smith, and how often a new one appears.
What would an alert for this have sent me? Search the full text
Free to try — the preview shows the real matches and how many arrived in the last 12 months. Your first email alert is free.
These reports are published by the Chief Coroner's office at judiciary.uk and are © Crown copyright. The text here is reproduced from the published PDF so it can be searched. If something on this page is wrong, or you are a person named in it and want it reviewed, email drcjar@gmail.com and we will act promptly.