Briton among dead in Tunisia museum attack - The Guardian

Police officers outside the Bardo museum in Tunis on Thursday. Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP

A British woman was killed in the attack on the Bardo museum in Tunis, the Foreign Office has said.

“Sadly, I can confirm the death of a British woman in yesterday’s terrorist attack in Tunisia,” said Philip Hammond, the foreign secretary. “Consular staff are providing assistance to her family. My thoughts are with them at this very difficult time.”

Hammond told the BBC that the woman was Sally Jane Adey and that his thoughts were with her family.

The Foreign Office previously said two Britons had been “caught up” in the assault on Tunisia’s prime tourist attraction.

At least 17 tourists and two Tunisians, as well as the two gunmen died in the attack. Authorities in the Tunisian capital are still trying to account for the dead and injured amid conflicting reports of the number of people and nationalities involved. The country’s prime minister, Habib Essid, said people from at least eight countries had died.

The other victims include three Japanese, four Italians, two Colombians, two Spaniards, an Australian, a Pole and a French national, Essid said. Other reports said an unknown number of South African tourists may have been involved.

Two Tunisians – a bus driver and a policeman – also died in the attack, along with the two gunmen, named by Essid as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui.

At least 44 people were wounded, including 13 Italians, seven French, four Japanese, two South Africans, one Pole, one Russian and six Tunisians. Essid did not provide any information regarding the nationalities of the other wounded.

Amid fears that the attack will damage Tunisia’s vital tourist industry, holiday firms Thomson and First Choice said their customers stay in beach destinations away from Tunis but confirmed excursions from resorts to the capital have been cancelled.

“Thomson and First Choice always follow Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice and the overall level of advice for Tunisia has not changed,” the firms said in a statement.

“Thomson and First Choice customers stay in beach destinations, not Tunis, and we can confirm that none of our customers or staff were affected by yesterday’s events. As a precaution, however, we have cancelled excursions to Tunis for the coming days.

“Customer safety is of paramount importance to us and we continue to work closely with the FCO and the British Consulate to monitor the situation. Tunisia remains a popular destination for us and customers are enjoying their holidays as normal.”

Hammond expressed his condolences to the Tunisian prime minister.

“The Tunisian people are rightly proud of their democratic transition,” he said. “Cowardly attacks, such as the one we saw yesterday, must not be allowed to undermine what they have achieved. I spoke to prime minister Habib Essid yesterday to offer my condolences to all those affected by this despicable act and to assure him we stand together against terrorism.”

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