Egypt hotel room next door to British couple fumigated day before their deaths – inquest
A hotel room in Egypt where a British couple died was next door to a room that had been sprayed with chemicals to kill bed bugs only hours before their deaths, an inquest has heard.
John Cooper, 69, and his wife Susan, 63, from Burnley in Lancashire died on 21 August 2018 in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel.
The couple died from neither carbon monoxide nor food poisoning, according to an earlier report, which added they could have been caused by possible exposure to an “infectious biological agent or toxic chemicals”.
On the first day of a two-day inquest hearing in Burnley, a German tourist said in a statement he reported a bed bug infestation in the room next door – which had a locked, adjoining door.
It was treated the next day with Lambda, a pesticide.
The Coopers’ daughter, Kelly Ormerod, a HMRC civil servant, said her parents were fit and healthy for their age and had been enjoying a “brilliant” holiday with her, their three grandchildren, and family friends.
Her mother, who was a cashier at Thomas Cook, had visited the same hotel in April that year, describing it as “fabulous”, and wanted to take the whole family back.
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On the evening of 20 August, they all went to the hotel’s restaurant and a bar, before heading in for the night.
Ms Ormerod’s daughter, Molly, who was then aged 12, was staying on a single bed in the Coopers’ room, which she said had a “yeasty smell”. At 1am, Mr Cooper rang to say she was feeling unwell and took her back to her mother’s room upstairs.
Mr and Mrs Cooper were not at breakfast the next day, and Ms Ormerod discovered they were seriously ill, saying her father came to the door and said “I really don’t feel well” while retching.
She told the hearing her mother was in bed, “groaning”, with vomit in her hair and around the room, where she noticed a strange “heavy” smell.
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Two doctors were summoned, but Ms Ormerod said they were in “panic mode”, as her parents appeared to get worse and her father struggled to breathe.
Ms Ormerod added: “His eyes kind of… a glazed, staring look.”
Mr Cooper was declared dead on the hotel room floor, while Mrs Cooper was taken to a clinic at the hotel where she was said to be “super agitated” and delirious, the inquest was told.
Mrs Cooper was taken to hospital in an ambulance but died at 4.12pm.
Both were repatriated to the UK in sealed, zinc-lined coffins.
A statement from Dominik Bibi, from Germany, who arrived in the early hours of 20 August, said his mother-in-law was booked to stay in room 5106 – next door to the Coopers.
His statement added: “On entering I immediately noticed a funny smell, like that of mould or damp.
“There was a lot of bed bugs in the bed and under it.”
He added a cleaner and manager came and apologised, while his mother-in-law took his room further down the corridor.
Mr Bibi said around lunchtime he was outside her room when he saw three men, one of whom was holding a pesticide canister he assumed was being used to get rid of bedbugs.
He added after around five or 10 minutes they left the room, and used masking tape to seal the room.
“I would not say the job was very professional,” Mr Bibi’s statement continued, adding the air conditioning at the hotel was not working that day, and a cleaner told the family work was being done on the system.
He also said he and other family members were unwell, but he expected that during a holiday in Egypt.
The inquest continues.
World
Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells Sky News ‘I am exchangeable for NATO membership’ after PM announces missile plan for Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is “exchangeable” for Ukrainian membership of NATO, indicating he would be prepared to step down as president if his country was allowed to join the military alliance.
He also suggested he was ready to sign a minerals deal with the US that was put on hold after his heated meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Friday.
Mr Zelenskyy was speaking to reporters on Sunday evening after earlier talks with other world leaders at a London summit hosted by Sir Keir Starmer, who suggested a coalition of European allies could step up to defend Ukraine and “guarantee the peace”.
Latest updates on Ukraine’s future
Asked by Sky News’ lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim if he could quit in the event his country becomes a NATO member, he said: “I am exchangeable for NATO.”
The Ukraine president added: “I have said that I am exchanging for NATO membership, then it means I have fulfilled my mission. NATO means I have fulfilled my mission.”
But, he continued: “To change me, it will not be easy because it is not enough to simply hold elections. You would need to prevent me from participating. And it will be a bit more difficult.”
Mr Zelenskyy has also rebuffed US officials calling for him to resign.
His comments at Stansted Airport come after Republicans including senator Lindsay Graham and speaker Mike Johnson suggested he should step down from his position following the fiery White House exchange with President Trump.
Mr Zelenskyy spoke to journalists shortly before leaving the UK on Sunday evening.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking to Sky News’ Yalda Hakim
In response to a question from Yalda Hakim, Mr Zelenskyy said: “I can give [Lindsay Graham] citizenship of Ukraine and he will become a citizen of our country.
“And then his voice will start to gain weight, and I will hear him as a citizen of Ukraine on the topic of who must be the president.”
“The president of Ukraine will have to be chosen not in Lindsay Graham’s home but in Ukraine,” he added.
Pic: Reuters
Mr Zelenskyy confirmed there has been communication between Ukraine and the Trump administration since the clash on Friday, but “not on my level”.
Mr Graham – a Republican senator and close Trump ally – labelled the meeting a “complete, utter disaster” at a press briefing on Friday.
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Asked whether Mr Zelenskyy should step aside, he said: “He either needs to resign or send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.”
After the London summit on Sunday, the prime minister unveiled a four-step plan discussed by leaders, including a pledge to “develop a coalition of the willing” to defend a deal in Ukraine and guarantee a peace settlement.
Sir Keir said Europe “must do the heavy lifting”, and the UK “is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others”.
He also announced a new deal which will allow Ukraine to use £1.6bn of UK export finance to buy 5,000 more air defence missiles.
Zelenskyy’s meeting with the King
The Ukrainian president’s 90-minute sit down with the media came shortly after he wrapped up a tough week with a visit to see the King at Sandringham.
Mr Zelenskyy flew to Norfolk in a helicopter on Sunday afternoon after attending the security summit in central London.
Pic: PA
People – some holding Ukraine flags – gathered outside Sandringham to try to witness his arrival. A military helicopter could be seen flying low before descending over the estate.
Pictures released after the meeting show Charles and Mr Zelenskyy shaking hands by the entrance to the royal home. The pair chatted briefly before heading inside, where they posed for more photographs.
Their meeting lasted just under an hour, Sky News understands.
Pic: PA
A difficult week for Ukrainian president
Mr Zelenskyy’s difficult few days began on Friday, when his day at the White House with Mr Trump was cut short after their meeting in the Oval Office descended into a shouting match.
The pair had been due to sign a minerals deal and hold a joint press conference – but both events were called off after their tense exchange, fuelled in part by comments from vice president JD Vance.
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Sir Keir welcomed Mr Zelenskyy to Downing Street on Saturday. Pic: PA
As White House officials scrapped the day’s schedule, Mr Trump described the meeting as “very meaningful” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He wrote: “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations.”
Meanwhile, in an interview on Fox News, the Ukrainian president said the row was “not good for both sides” and refused to apologise. Mr Zelenskyy then jetted to the UK to meet Sir Keir and other world leaders.
World
US speaker says Zelenskyy might need to resign – as Lord Mandelson suggests Ukraine commits to ceasefire before Russia
US Speaker Mike Johnson has suggested Volodymyr Zelenskyy might need to leave office in order for Ukraine to achieve a peace deal with Russia, as Lord Mandelson says Kyiv should commit to a ceasefire before Russia.
“Something has to change,” Mr Johnson told NBC.
“Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country to do that,” he added, referring to Mr Zelenskyy.
The Republican said “it’s up to the Ukrainians to figure that out”.
Meanwhile Lord Mandelson, the UK’s ambassador to the US, told ABC News: “I think that Ukraine should be the first to commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow.
“And then, as part of the unfolding plan for this negotiation, the Europeans and perhaps some other countries too have got to consider how they are going to put forces on the ground to play their part in providing enduring security and deterrence for Ukraine.”
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The remarks came two days after a disastrous meeting between the Ukrainian president and Donald Trump and his vice president JD Vance descended into a shouting match in the Oval Office.
Mr Johnson said: “What President Zelenskyy did in the White House was effectively signal to us that he’s not ready for that yet and I think that’s a great disappointment.”
The fallout left a proposed agreement between Ukraine and the US to jointly develop Ukraine’s natural resources in limbo.
Mike Johnson. Pic: Reuters
The idea of Mr Zelenskyy stepping aside also came up on Friday after the Oval Office meeting, with US Republican senator Lindsey Graham saying the Ukrainian leader “either needs to resign or send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change”.
Meanwhile, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said it is not clear Mr Zelenskyy is prepared to secure lasting peace with Russia.
“We need a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians and end this war,” Mr Waltz told CNN when asked whether Mr Trump wants Mr Zelenskyy to resign.
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“If it becomes apparent that President Zelenskyy’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in his country, then I think we have a real issue on our hands.”
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said he had not spoken to Mr Zelenskyy since the spat on Friday.
“We’ll be ready to re-engage when they’re ready to make peace,” Mr Rubio told ABC.
Marco Rubio during the meeting between Mr Zelenskyy and Mr Trump. Pic: Reuters
But Democratic senator Amy Klobuchar told ABC she was “appalled” by the clash in the Oval Office and said she met Mr Zelenskyy before he went to the White House on Friday and he had been excited to sign an expected minerals deal.
“There is still an opening here” for a peace deal, she said.
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World leaders embrace Zelenskyy
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer hosted a summit between Mr Zelenskyy and other European leaders in an effort to get a peace plan back on track.
The prime minister said the UK, France and Ukraine would work on a ceasefire plan to present to the US.
Sir Keir, who visited Washington on Thursday, said he believes Mr Trump does want a “lasting peace” but warned Europe is in a “moment of real fragility” and he would not trust the word of Vladimir Putin.
Mr Zelenskyy will later meet the King.
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