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WERE THEY GASSED?
Thomas Cook evacuates ALL 300 holidaymakers from Egypt hotel where Brit couple died as heartbroken pals fear they suffered carbon monoxide poisoning
THOMAS Cook has evacuated all of its 300 holidaymakers from an Egypt hotel where a Brit couple died - as pals fear they were gassed.
Susan Cooper, 64, and John, 69, booked the “holiday of a lifetime” through the travel company.
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The couple were on holiday with their daughter Kelly Ormerod, 40, and her three kids when they died at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel in Hurghada on Egypt's Red Sea coast on Tuesday.
In a statement, Kelly said she is in "utter shock" and is demanding answers to how her "fit and healthy" parents died, as previous guests revealed they were "on their knees" with food poisoning while at the hotel.
Thomas Cook last night announced it has removed all of its holidaymakers from the five-star hotel "as a precautionary measure" as they said they had received further reports of "a raised level of illness amongst guests".
Friends of the couple have speculated they were killed by high levels of carbon monoxide in their room.
One pal told The Sun: “No one can be sure until the post mortem.
“Some people have heard that Kelly felt unwell and went for a walk.
"When she came back her parents were dead.”
- John, 69, and Susan Cooper, 64, died on Tuesday, Aug 21
- They were on holiday at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel in Hurghada with their daughter Kelly and her three children
- John Cooper died in a hotel room, while Susan died hours later in hospital
- Their devastated daughter said her parents 'died right in front of her '
- Kelly said her parents were fit and healthy prior to their deaths
- Officials first insisted the couple died of "natural causes", claiming John had suffered a heart attack
- Thomas Cook are evacuating 300 holidaymakers at the hotel after 'raised levels of illness among guests'
- One man reportedly said his 16-year-old daughter is still "on her knees with food poisoning" after falling ill at the hotel
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As a family we are devastated. Mum and Dad meant the world to me and the children, and we are in utter shock over what has happened and what is happening.
"Prior to going on holiday, Mum and Dad were fit and healthy. They had no health problems at all."
What I want is to clear up some of what is being reported. We have no cause of death, a post-mortem is under way.
"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."
Kelly said she "wants answers" following her parents' tragic deaths.
She said: "My focus is on getting my children home. All we want is answers about what has happened and a cause of death."
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According to , daughter Kelly told local local officials that she believes the couple may have been killed by faulty air conditioning.
Governor of Hurghada Ahmed Abdallah told the paper: “Their daughter said to the prosecutors that there might [have been a] leaking air conditioner. This claim is not logical because the air conditioner of the hotel is central and if there is a leak it would have affected all the 2,500 guests at the hotel.
"Also, we took a sample of the food of the hotel for testing. But if there is a problem with the food it would have affected other people."
He added that the daughter's claim had led to an order for an autopsy on Mrs Cooper, but there would be no post-mortem examination on Mr Cooper as he "clearly suffered a heart attack".
The governor also insisted the couple died of natural causes, and told : "The husband fell sick and was taken to hospital, where he died. About three hours later his wife had a shock and died."
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A Thomas Cook spokesman said: “We are deeply saddened by the deaths of two of our customers, one of whom was a loyal and long-serving member of our family.
“We are supporting their loved ones and urgently investigating.”
The travel firm said the circumstances of their deaths are death are still unclear, and said there is "currently no evidence" to support claims of carbon monoxide poisoning.
In a further statement the company explained it will be offering customers the chance to transfer to another hotel within Hurghada or fly home.
A spokesman added: "Safety is always our first priority, so as a precautionary measure we have taken a decision to remove all our customers from this hotel.
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Holidaymakers booked to stay at the hotel, which received a 96 per cent rating in a recent Thomas Cook audit, over the next four weeks will be offered "alternative holiday options".
A spokesman added: "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."
Susan, from Burnley, Lancs, worked at her local Thomas Cook travel agency. It was shut following her death.
But a colleague at a nearby Thomas Cook said: “She had gone on a trip of a lifetime and sadly will never come back. It’s heartbreaking and tragic.”
John, a former bouncer, owned the Burnley building firm JJ Cooper’s.
Inside look at Thomas Cook hotel in Egypt, The Steigenberger Aqua Magic where two Brits have died
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Brit holidaymaker Alison Cope, who was among the guests removed from the hotel, branded the resort's food standards "poor".
In a Facebook post, she wrote: "Thomas Cook are moving all their customers out due to an increase in sickness!
"I wish all the Cooper family love and respect and am I very sorry for their loss.
"I think the food standards in the hotel have been very poor and the hotel is full of senior Thomas Cook Management due to the very sad deaths.
"The cause of death hasn't been officially released but they are taking things very seriously."
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A number of past guests of the hotel have said they have fallen ill since their stay.
One man told his 16-year-old daughter is still "on her knees with food poisoning" after falling ill at the Aqua Magic last week.
He said: "She was on holiday with her boyfriend and three other families and many of them became ill.
Daley Thompson tweeted today: "@ThomasCookUK I came back from aqua magic last Saturday and have had bad guts since! Do I need to worry after the news that as been released tonight?"
Kal-Sham said on a TripAdvisor review of the hotel in May: "All 4 of us got ill (vomiting & diarrhoea) and ended up in hospital with the children (aged 2.5 & 1). My son was hospitalised again on our return."
He added that the "bathroom was smelly" and he saw "birds eating at the food".
Susan worked at a local branch in Chancery Walk, Burnley, which was closed as a mark of respect.
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A colleague told : "We are a close team and we know the member of staff who died. It is heartbreaking and tragic.
"Mrs Cooper had gone on a trip of a lifetime and sadly will never come back. The store is closed as a sign of respect. The team there are devastated and closed up shop yesterday."
A friend of the couple also reportedly said they were "devoted to each other and couldn't live without each other".
In a statement, the Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in Hurghada, Egypt and we are in contact with the local tour operator.”
The company's Head of Customer Welfare Carol Mackenzie flew out to the resort last night to meet with relatives of the couple and offer support.
In a statement Mr. Geiger, General Manager at Aqua Magic said: “We are deeply saddened by the death. In such a circumstance, very little can be said that will help. This makes it even more important to stick to the facts.
"The doctor’s preliminary report indicates that death was due to natural causes. There are no indications to support allegations of an increased incidence of illness at the hotel.
"Such rash speculations should urgently be put aside out of respect for the family members of the deceased persons and for other guests.”
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Hurghada is a beach resort town along Egypt's Red Sea coast, popular with British tourists.
The exclusive Steigenberger Aqua Magic has 394 rooms, 294 family rooms and 15 suites.
Last year we revealed how Brit tourists were flocking to the resort after the Foreign Office warned against travelling to Sharm El Sheikh.
On its website, Thomas Cook describes Hurghada as "the capital of the Red Sea Riviera, where beautiful beaches, vibrant nightclubs and world-class diving destinations await."
It comes three years after the firm apologised and paid an undisclosed sum of money to the parents of two children who died while on holiday booked through Thomas Cook in 2006.
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Thomas Cook was cleared of responsibility at a trial in Greece in 2010 and awarded damages against the hotel's owner.
But in 2015 an inquest in the UK ruled that Thomas Cook had "breached its duty of care" to the children.
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