Tui UK says it’s “so very sorry for the pain and loss” caused by the 2015 Tunisia terror attack as families plan legal action
Nick Longman, Tui UK's managing director, has said the company is "very sorry for the pain and loss" of those affected by the 2015 Tunisia terrorist attack.
A coroner has concluded the police response to a terror attack at the Tunisian beach resort where 30 Britons died was "at best shambolic and at worse cowardly", though rejected a finding of neglect against the tour firms and the hotel.
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Speaking today, Longman said:
What happened on that tragic day on 26 June 2015 in Tunisia shocked and devastated all of us.
Our immediate heartfelt condolences went to the families and friends of those so tragically affected.
On behalf of everyone at Tui UK I would like to again extend our deepest sympathy.
We are so very sorry for the pain and loss those affected have suffered. Over these last few weeks we have heard very personal and very moving accounts of what happened during and after the terrorist attack.
He said the firm has played a "full and active role" throughout the process of the inquest and will "take some further time" to reflect on the areas flagged up by the coroner's findings concerning the provision of security and visibility of travel advice.
"As an industry we have adapted and we will need to continue to do so," he said. "This terrorist incident left its mark on all of us and its impact will always be remembered."
It comes as a solicitor for some of the families of the British victims said they were preparing to commence civil proceedings against Tui.
Read more: Inquests into the Tunisian beach massacre are set to be critical of Tui
A statement by Andrew Ritchie QC said the coroner was not empowered to give a verdict over anybody's negligence, but had found "appreciable security deficiencies" at the Imperial Marhaba Hotel, where the attack took place.
Tui has said it is "wholly erroneous" to claim it had been neglectful, and there was insufficient evidence of any gross failure.
Thousands of holiday makers who booked through Tui-owned Thomson and First Choice were flown home and all planned holidays were cancelled after the attack that left 38 dead.