Peter Stewart, 59, suffers fatal heart attack
Leading travel industry lawyer Peter Stewart has died of a heart attack.
Stewart had been leading Thomas Cook’s legal team in this week’s inquest into the deaths of two children from carbon monoxide poisoning while on a Thomas Cook holiday in Corfu.
In a statement, Thomas Cook said: "We are profoundly saddened by the news of Peter Stewart’s sudden passing, and we’d like to express our deepest sympathy to Peter’s family at this time."
It confirmed that the inquest would continue as planned.
A partner at law firm Fieldfisher, Stewart led several high profile travel industry cases, including ABTA’s challenge to the CAA over the definition of a package holiday in 2006.
In a statement, a spokesman for Fieldfisher said: "We are profoundly saddened by the news and express our deepest sympathy to Peter’s family at this time.
"Peter joined Fieldfisher in February 1980 and was head of the London Dispute Resolution team for ten years, building it into one of largest practices at the firm.
"Peter was also one the leading and most respected lawyers in the travel industry. He co-authored two books, one on travel law and the other on product liability.
"He was also a regular speaker at conferences organised by trade bodies such as ABTA and professional organisations such as the IBA. Peter also had a great passion for Irish rugby.
"He will be missed."
Mark Tanzer, ABTA chief executive, also paid tribute: "Peter represented and advised ABTA and many ABTA members on some of the most significant legal issues over the last 30 years. His death is a great loss to the travel industry and our thoughts at this sad time are with his wife, Amanda and his family."
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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