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| Tunisia beach attack 'like an execution', survivor says | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A British survivor of the massacre at a Tunisian resort in 2015 hid behind a sun lounger as tourists were "executed" by the gunman, an inquest has heard. | A British survivor of the massacre at a Tunisian resort in 2015 hid behind a sun lounger as tourists were "executed" by the gunman, an inquest has heard. |
| Simon Greeves wept as his statement was read at the inquests into the 30 British deaths, during the first day of witness testimonies. | Simon Greeves wept as his statement was read at the inquests into the 30 British deaths, during the first day of witness testimonies. |
| "People were screaming and running towards the gate to the hotel and into the sea to seek safety," he said. | |
| Islamist gunman Seifeddine Rezgui killed 38 people in total in June 2015. | Islamist gunman Seifeddine Rezgui killed 38 people in total in June 2015. |
| The attack, at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba, near Sousse, was the deadliest on Britons since the 7 July 2005 London bombings. | The attack, at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba, near Sousse, was the deadliest on Britons since the 7 July 2005 London bombings. |
| Mr Greeves, who had been on holiday with his wife, said in the statement read by a lawyer that he had seen Rezgui kill a person on a sun lounger with a single shot "like an execution". | |
| He said Rezgui "appeared very calm and looked like he knew exactly what he was doing". | He said Rezgui "appeared very calm and looked like he knew exactly what he was doing". |
| He added: "My only thought was to get to my wife. I had no other thoughts." | He added: "My only thought was to get to my wife. I had no other thoughts." |
| The hearing, being held at London's Royal Courts of Justice, briefly paused as Mr Greeves began to get upset. | The hearing, being held at London's Royal Courts of Justice, briefly paused as Mr Greeves began to get upset. |
| He said he initially thought the gunshots were firecrackers: "I don't know the number of shots but it was a hell of a lot." | He said he initially thought the gunshots were firecrackers: "I don't know the number of shots but it was a hell of a lot." |
| The inquests, which began on 16 January, have so far questioned whether the UK Foreign Office and travel company TUI did enough to protect British holidaymakers in Tunisia. | The inquests, which began on 16 January, have so far questioned whether the UK Foreign Office and travel company TUI did enough to protect British holidaymakers in Tunisia. |
| 'A beautiful person, inside and out' | |
| Another survivor had to identify her friend's body by the glittery nail varnish on her toes, the inquest heard. | |
| Carol Anne Powell was on holiday with Trudy Jones, 51, from Gwent, South Wales, when the attack occurred. | |
| She told the inquest how Ms Jones had been on the beach sunbathing, adding: "I wanted to run towards the beach to check on Trudy, but people were running towards me shouting 'Go, go'." | |
| After playing dead in the hotel car park, Ms Powell was carried to the safety of a nearby hotel, but Ms Jones had been killed by a single gun shot wound to the chest and neck. | |
| Later, Ms Powell had to go to the mortuary where the victims' bodies were being held, and identified Ms Powell by the distinctive nail polish. | |
| A family statement from Ms Powell, read in court, described Ms Jones as "a beautiful person, inside and out" who would "put everyone's happiness before her own". | |
| 'I assumed we would be safe' | 'I assumed we would be safe' |
| Mark Hornby, who booked a last-minute holiday at his local Thomson shop, told the court that his travel agent did not say Tunisia was a terror risk. | Mark Hornby, who booked a last-minute holiday at his local Thomson shop, told the court that his travel agent did not say Tunisia was a terror risk. |
| "I assumed we would be safe," he said in a statement read out on his behalf. | "I assumed we would be safe," he said in a statement read out on his behalf. |
| At the time, the Foreign Office warned that "further attacks are possible" in the country, following shootings at a museum in the capital city of Tunis four months earlier. | At the time, the Foreign Office warned that "further attacks are possible" in the country, following shootings at a museum in the capital city of Tunis four months earlier. |
| Mr Hornby also told the court that there was "no security at all" at the front of the hotel and area around the hotel, despite the area being a known terror risk. | Mr Hornby also told the court that there was "no security at all" at the front of the hotel and area around the hotel, despite the area being a known terror risk. |
| "It was easy to walk into another hotel, there was no one checking you," he added. | "It was easy to walk into another hotel, there was no one checking you," he added. |
| In a previous hearing, the hotel's former manager said that four unarmed guards manned the Riu Imperial Marhaba resort, where the gunman launched his attack from the beach before entering the hotel. | In a previous hearing, the hotel's former manager said that four unarmed guards manned the Riu Imperial Marhaba resort, where the gunman launched his attack from the beach before entering the hotel. |
| The court also heard that local security forces "wasted time" before responding to the attack near Sousse. | The court also heard that local security forces "wasted time" before responding to the attack near Sousse. |
| Rezgui was shot dead by police about an hour after the attack, which began at about midday on Friday 26 June 2015. | Rezgui was shot dead by police about an hour after the attack, which began at about midday on Friday 26 June 2015. |