Egypt's Tourism Ministry follows up on British couple case

CAIRO – 24 August 2018: A team from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism was formed to follow up on the death of a British couple who lost their lives in a Hurghada hotel in the Red Sea governorate due to “natural causes.”

According to an official statement by the ministry, Serag Al-Din Saad, an assistant tourism minister, said that the ministry is following up on the case, in coordination with the Egyptian Red Sea governorate, the General Administration of Tourism and Antiquities Police, and Thomas Cook travel company.

Egypt’s Red Sea governorate earlier said that John and Susan Cooper, British tourists, died at different times in Hurghada as a result of circulatory collapse.

According to the governorate’s statement, John, 69, died inside his room in the hotel on Tuesday morning. The statement added that preliminary medical reports revealed that he died of a circulatory collapse and cardiac arrest. John’s body was moved to the Hurghada General Hospital.

Conducting a medical report, a Health Ministry medical inspector denied the presence of any criminal activity concerning the death of John, the statement added.

Susan, 64, the victim’s wife fainted and was then moved at 4 p.m. to Aseel Medical Care Hospital in the Red Sea city of Hurghada, according to the statement.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation had been carried out for 30 minutes, according to the statement; before Susan lost her life at 5:12 p.m. Susan’s body was also moved to Hurghada General Hospital.

The medical inspector also denied the presence of any criminal activity concerning Susan’s death, adding that Susan died of a circulatory collapse. The two bodies were ordered for further examination, the statement added.


And here is the ministry’s full translated statement:

Statement by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism regarding the incident of the British couple’s death in Hurghada

The ministry has been following closely the incident of the British couple’s (John and Susan Cooper) death inside one of the biggest hotels in Hurghada, in the Red Sea governorate. We are cooperating with the General Administration of Tourism and Antiquities Police along with Thomas Cook Group, which arranged the tourists’ trip to Egypt. A working group affiliated with the ministry has been formed to follow up with the situation’s latest updates in Hurghada; Assistant Minister of Tourism Al-Sayes Seraj al-Dien said.

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism offers its deepest condolences to the family of the British couple.

According to the initial medical report, the ministry would like to affirm that there is no presence of any criminal activity concerning the British couple’s death, and that the cause of death is natural. Egypt's Public Prosecution will be hearing the British couple’s daughter’s statements regarding the incident and the two bodies will be autopsied. All of the legal actions regarding the incident will be taken and the British Embassy in Egypt will be informed with the latest updates and details in order to follow with its procedures for the transfer of the bodies back to their country.

Thomas Cook Group offered its clients in Hurghada several options following the incident, including returning them back to their country as a precautionary measure or letting them resume their vacation in Egypt. The majority of the British tourists choose to remain in Egypt and resume their vacation normally in Hurghada.

According to the Red Sea governorate, the deceased tourist is a British national named John Cooper, 69. Cooper died inside his room in one of Hurghada’s hotels on Tuesday morning.

After the initial medical examination, it was revealed that Cooper died as a result of a severe drop in blood circulation and sudden cessation of myocardium. The health inspector examined Cooper’s body and affirmed that the reason of the death was a sudden cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, which denies any presence of criminal activity concerning the British tourist’s death.

Later, by 4 p.m., Mrs Susan Cooper, 64, was transferred to al-Aseel hospital after fainting. The hospital’s crew tried carried out cardiopulmonary resuscitation on her for about 30 minutes; however, she was announced dead at 5:12 p.m.

The Health Inspector examined Susan’s body and stated in his medical report that the cause of death was circulatory collapse and respiratory failure. He denied any presence of criminal activity concerning Susan’s death.

Finally, the ministry would like to affirm that it will keep cooperating with the Red Sea governorate and all other related bodies regarding the incident.

British couple dies in Hurghada of 'circulatory collapse', Egypt says

CAIRO - 24 August 2018: Egypt's Red Sea governorate said that John and Susan Cooper, British tourists, died at different times in Hurghada as a result of circulatory collapse. According to the governorate's statement, John, 69, died inside his room in the hotel on Tuesday morning.