Hurghada hotel deaths: Red Sea governor confirms strange smell
Red Sea governor Major General Ahmed Abdullah has defended health and safety standards at the hotel where Thomas Cook travel agent Susan Cooper and her husband John mysteriously died.
But he confirmed there was a strange smell in the couple’s bedroom.
The couple’s daughter claims her parents had complained of a strange odour the night before they died.
Egyptian officials have dismissed speculation of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Speaking to UK media in Hurghada, the Red Sea governor also dismissed reports of a high level of illness among guests.
He said there were only 23 cases where guests had visited the hotel’s clinic or requested medical assistance during the past week at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic resort. This represents 1.2% of a total of 1,995 hotel guests.
He said of the 23 cases, only four were British holidaymakers and their illnesses were for a number of reasons, including sun stroke or swallowing sea water.
He said following the deaths, the couple’s bedroom was sealed off.
The Attorney General ordered a committee of specialists to inspect all ventilation and air conditioning in the room, he added.
He said 160 out of 261 British guests at the hotel refused to leave Hurghada, which ‘shows the confidence of the level of safety and service available in Hurghada hotels’.
Thomas Cook removed all of its customers from the hotel within days of the couple’s passing.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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