In August 2018, a British couple from Burnley, Lancashire, experienced a fatal incident while vacationing at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada, Egypt. The couple, John Cooper, 69, and Susan Cooper, 63, died under mysterious circumstances.
The couple’s untimely death has led to extensive investigations and a recent series of reports and hearings.
Their hotel room was adjacent to a room that had undergone bedbug fumigation with a pesticide known as Lambda. This event occurred just a day before the couple was found in severe distress.
The incident prompted the Thomas Cook travel company to evacuate hundreds of guests from the hotel. During the inquest, it was revealed that the Coopers’ room shared a locked door with the fumigated room. The need for fumigation arose from a German tourist’s complaint about bed bugs.
The Coopers were accompanied by their daughter, three grandchildren, and friends. Their granddaughter Molly, 12, who was sleeping in their room, reported feeling sick due to a strange smell, leading to her moving to her mother’s room. In the morning, her mother discovered both grandparents critically ill.
Early investigations did not indicate carbon monoxide or food poisoning. Further analysis, however, pointed towards potential toxic chemical exposure from the fumigation. The presence of carbon monoxide in the couple’s blood complicated the determination of the cause of death.
Speculation exists that the pesticide might have been combined with dichlorvos, another toxic substance banned in the UK. This combination could have heightened the toxicity levels. The Coopers had been healthy before their hotel stay. Their sudden illness, with symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, followed by heart failure, brought up questions about the fumigation process’s safety. Testimonies from other hotel guests were recorded during the inquest on November 7. Another hearing is scheduled for November 15.
