Seven members of same family confirmed dead in ISIS truck massacre – as Nice promenade re-opens with flags at half mast
At least 84 people have died and countless others are missing or fighting for their life in hospital
THE Nice promenade where a terrorist mowed down tourists and locals celebrating Bastille Day has reopened, as mourners gather to place flowers and flags flew at half-mast.
France has been rocked by another devastating attack, today claimed by Islamic State, which has killed at least 84 people, with countless others unaccounted for and fighting for their lives in hospital.
The attack on Thursday claimed the lives of seven members of the same family, as a truck driven by Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel ploughed through the crowd on the Promenade des Anglais.
Three generations of the family had travelled to the seaside town for a holiday and had gathered to watch the fireworks when they were killed.
They were named as grandparents Francois and Christian Locatelli, aged 82 and 78, their daughter Veronique Lion, 55, and their grandson Michelle Pellegrini, 28.
Ms Lion's husband Christophe survived, but their grandson and his parents Germain and Gisele Lion, 68 and 63, were killed.
The Republican Lorrain wrote: "They originated from eastern France but all lived miles apart. They came together for a simple family holiday on the riviera and now almost an entire family has been tragically wiped out."
A woman who witnessed the terrifying attack told how she watched in horror as her pal was mown down by the Bastille Day attacker.
Russian student Victoria Savchenko was among thousands of foreigners enjoying France’s annual celebration in Nice.
But the 21-year-old was killed instantly when the truck hit her.
Victoria’s heartbroken companion Polina Serebryannikova somehow survived the disaster.
She revealed yesterday: “My friend and I were walking on the promenade. We saw this truck moving in a strange trajectory. My friend was hit and died.”
The names of some of the other 83 people to perish also began to emerge yesterday.
And details about many more who are still missing, including dozens of German children on a school trip, were revealed.
Tributes were paid to software executive Sean Copeland, 51, and his 11-year-old son Brodie, from Texas, who were run down.
Sean’s wife Kimberly, as well as their two older children, were also in Nice but it it not known whether they were injured.
A family statement said: “We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives, and Sean, a wonderful husband and father. They are so loved.”
The Copelands had been on holiday in Spain before going to Nice.
Relative Haley Copeland wrote on Facebook: “Losing a loved one is hard no matter the circumstances, but losing one in such a tragic and unexpected way is unbearable. Prayers are much appreciated.”
Further names of victims became known after President Francois Hollande admitted “many foreigners and young children” were among those killed and seriously injured.
A four-year-old boy, Yannis Coviaux, was killed, his family today described him as enjoying the evening celebrations before the truck driver struck.
The mother of four-year-old Tunisian boy Olfa Bent Souayah was killed in the attack and her son is still missing, according to Tunisia’s foreign ministry.
Four people from Algeria including two children and a 70-year-old woman visiting her daughter died.
Heroes of the massacre who sacrificed their own lives to save others also emerged last night.
Timothe Fournier, 27, from Paris, died after pushing his seven months pregnant wife out of the truck’s path.
His cousin Anais said: “He was a great guy, a young dreamer, but someone who was always there for his wife and his future child.”
First victim was named as a Muslim woman
THE daughter of a Muslim woman killed in the Nice terror attack said her mum followed “real Islam”.
Defiant Hamza Charrihi, 28, held up an ID card belonging to her mum Fatima, and said: “She wore the veil of Islam and practiced a true and balanced religion. A real Islam. Not the one of the terrorists.”
Fatima’s husband said she was the first victim of the deadly attack.
Speaking from a University building in Nice that was converted in a make-shift crisis centre, Ahmed said: “The truck was doing 90-100kmh. It ploughed into and killed Fatima. The driver kept going along the pavement smashing even the benches without slowing down.”
Six of Fatima’s family were on the promenade watching the Bastille Day fireworks display.
He added: “I’m alive because I was on the road. My nephew has a broken arm. The children scattered.
“Afterwards I saw dead bodies, many dead bodies. Then we ran.”
An eight-month-old baby, missing in the frantic crowds following the attack, was reunited with its parents in a rare moment of joy in the tragic aftermath.
A couple from Scotland, feared to be missing and dead, Carole Annie Cowan, and her husband Ron, were confirmed as safe in the hours following the attack where friends and families desperately searched for loved ones.
But people are still missing.
A group of 28 kids from Berlin’s Paula-Fuerst school were on a week-long trip to the southern French city. They were still thought to be missing last night.
A German education spokesman said: “A school class was in Nice. I can’t give you any further information at this point because we have no further information yet.”
Reports suggest a teacher and two of her students on a school trip are among the dead.
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It also emerged that a group of English pupils visiting Nice were unharmed.
Mark Jackson, head teacher at Haslingden High School, Lancs, said yesterday: “We have four Year 12 students and three adults who were in the area when this awful attack took place. Our party are safe and well.”
Foreigners known to have died include Linda Casanova, 54, a customs expert from Switzerland, and Tunisians Bilal Labaoui and Abdelkader Toukabri, a mechanic.
Nick Leslie, from the Californian University of Berkeley is unaccounted for, and three other students were injured.
Others among the confirmed fatalities include industrial supervisor Robert Marchand, 60, from Marcigny, eastern France.
Nice border cops Jean-Marc Leclerc and Emmanuel Grout, 45, also reportedly lost their lives.
Among the unnamed dead are at least two people from Morocco, an Armenian and one Ukrainian.
Amid endless tales of despair, there were also stories of incredible escapes. Andy Shaw, of Bristol, survived after Bouhlel’s truck crashed into a lamp post he had been leaning against.
He said: “I had a lucky escape. I walked towards the direction where the wagon was coming from and turned into a side street and I heard a loud bang and screaming and everyone ran past me.
“I started to run and my wife was frightened. I thought it was kids and fireworks.
“We got to our apartment as fast as possible and locked the door.
“The looks on people faces was frightening. They had seen a lot. I saw one guy sobbing and others holding babies screaming.”
Tourist Kevin Harris was staying on the Promenade des Anglais where the killer struck.
He said: “I heard some gunshots, went on my terrace and saw this dreadful scene of lots of bodies lying in the middle of the Promenade and a truck which had sort of crashed into a tree.
“The strange thing was these poor people weren’t moving. They had just been hit so hard that everybody was dead.
“I realised that when they started bringing towels off the beach club and laying them over these people.”
Tourist Sandra Kinloch, of Perthshire, was walking on the promenade when she heard the lorry.
She said: “It was coming at speed and we were just so lucky to get out of the way.
“I just want to go home but we’re stuck now. It’s awful.”
We must keep going
By Lisa Minot, Sun Travel Editor
TODAY I’m driving through France. Just as I have for the last 42 years, I will head south to my beloved Cote d’Azur for an annual family caravan holiday.
The horrific events of Thursday are still so raw.
Yet nothing would stop me coming. I am determined to continue enjoying this incredible country.
For four decades we have travelled to the South of France and holidayed with family and our many French, Dutch, German and Spanish friends at a campsite on the Med’s shores.
Our children have grown up together — as we did — and we will again this year enjoy barbecues on the beach, swim in the sea and enjoy the hospitality of a great nation.
The minute we stop travelling, the minute we stop visiting the countries we flock to for precious trips, the terrorists have won.
We owe it to the victims of the attack in Nice to carry on living our lives.
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