BRIT COUPLE DEATHS
Who were John and Susan Cooper? Couple who died on Thomas Cook holiday at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel in Egypt
BRIT couple John and Susan Cooper died after suffering illness caused by E.coli while holidaying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Egypt on August 21.
Here's what you need to know about the Burnley couple and their sudden deaths.
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Who were John and Susan Cooper?
John Cooper, 69, and his 64-year-old wife Susan died after falling ill in their room at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada on Tuesday, August 21.
Mr Cooper died in the couple's hotel room, while Mrs Cooper died just hours later in hospital.
Originally from Burnley, Lancashire, the couple were on the "holiday of a lifetime", when they died, friends said.
Mr Cooper owned a building firm in Burnley while Mrs Cooper was a long-serving staff member at a branch of Thomas Cook in the Lancashire town.
Their daughter Kelly described them as "fit and healthy" before their deaths.
The Cooper’s neighbours told The Sun Online: "They were a smashing couple. They seemed so happy together and were always smiling. We will miss them."
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And Martin Roche, the Provincial Secretary of Craft Masonry of East Lancashire, said John was a much "loved and well respected" Freemason.
"He was a tireless supporter of many projects and fundraising events and his very ‘hands on’ approach to our work and larger-than-life personality has meant that his death has had a huge impact on so many of our members.
"His wit, his compassion, his energy but above all else, his friendship will be missed by us all.
"Our thoughts and our prayers will remain with his family at this very difficult time."
A neighbour of Kelly’s said she and her mum were "so close".
"I can’t imagine what Kelly is going through. It must be awful.
"Kelly was so close to her mum. They would spend a lot of time together. We just feel ever so sorry for all the family."
The couple's bodies have been released for repatriation, according to Egyptian authorities on Monday, September 10, after a post-mortem was carried out - the results of which are pending.
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How did they die?
A public prosecutor in Egypt confirmed the lethal E.coli bacteria was a factor in the tragic couple's demise as he detailed an official medical report.
An inspection of the couple's hotel room revealed there were no toxic or harmful gas emissions or leaks. But prosecutor Nabil Sadek said forensic tests showed John, 69, suffered acute intestinal dysentery caused by E.coli.
Susan, 64, had suffered Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), likely because of E.coli.
Speaking to the BBC following their deaths, devastated daughter Kelly, 40, said she found her parents seriously ill in their hotel room and recalled seeing her dad "staggering back to the bed".
She told the BBC: "While I was on holiday, a lot of people got the Egyptian tummy, they didn't even get that.
"The evening before we went to bed, we were all having a lovely family meal and they were fit and healthy."
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Kelly said two doctors came to see John at the hotel.
She added: "They didn't really see to Mum because they could see that Dad was more ill and he took priority.
"They tried basically to save his life and they couldn't - they did CPR on him but nothing could help him, nothing could save him.
"Mum had no idea what was going on - she was oblivious to what was actually happening because she was so poorly."
Susan, 64, was taken to hospital where she later died.
Kelly has expressed her suspicions that her mum and dad's bodies were sent home from Egypt with their organs missing.
Post mortems in the UK were found ‘inconclusive’ and an inquest was opened last month.
She told The Sun: "I do think that my parents bodies are missing body parts but I am getting no answers.
"I have been led to believe certain organs are missing. I feel it is being covered up."
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What has Thomas Cook said?
Following the couple's death, Thomas Cook announced they were evacuating 300 of their guests from the hotel.
The chief executive said the company was doing "everything" to support the pair's grieving relatives, but stressed there was "no evidence" the couple were poisoned by carbon monoxide.
The travel giant revealed the results of independent tests conducted at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel confirmed high levels of E.coli were found at the hotel.
Independent tests also showed the presence of a bacteria linked to sepsis and deadly toxic shock syndrome.
Kelly Ormerod relives the horrifying moment she found her parents John and Susan Cooper 'staggering' in their Egyptian holiday room
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