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Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I looked an ISIS terrorist in the eye as he slaughtered Brits on a beach in Tunisia... 10 years on, here's how I'm coping with the bittersweet twist of fate that saw me cheat death
A survivor of the Tunisia terror attack has told of how she managed to cheat death with one very minor decision. Alison Caine from Staffordshire was staying in the Riu Imperial Marhaba with her husband Baron in June 2015 when a bittersweet twist of fate changed her life forever. On June 16, 2015, the tranquil seaside resort turned into a nightmare as an Islamic terrorist systemically gunned down innocent holidaymakers. After just 21 minutes and 38 seconds, 38 people lay dead in a horrific killing spree that left the world reeling. Alison, 52, was one of the few that managed to survive and has now shared her horrific experience to mark the tenth anniversary of the attack. Alison and Baron had holidayed in Tunisia for ten years prior to the attack, and had stayed at the Imperial Marhaba four times previously. The day of June 26 was the fifth of their holiday, and saw the couple have breakfast as usual before moving to the hotel sun loungers by the pool. Alison told MailOnline: 'I had my headphones in listening to music, and Baron had his to watch a film. At around 11.30am I suggested we wander down to the beach bar for a drink and some lunch. 'I took my headphones off, and Baron gave me one of his ear buds, so we could watch the last few minutes of his film together. 'That decision saved our lives; if we'd had headphones in, we wouldn't have heard the gunshots further up the beach.' At first, Alison said, they thought 'nothing of it'. The resort was a popular spot for weddings so there were often fireworks. Soon, it was obvious something was wrong, and Alison recalled: 'But then we heard screaming, we saw people running, and Baron yelled: "Run as fast as you can back to the room and don't stop."' 'I set off running but there were people running the other way and I was going to be knocked over. I clung to a pillar, and, around the other side, I saw a man with a gun looking directly at me. I knew I had to get away. 'I ran with the crowd, there were people screaming and crying, and it was chaos. Luckily, we'd moved rooms because our air con was broken, and we went in a side door where it wasn't as busy. 'Halfway up the stairs, I froze, worried we were doing the wrong thing. But Baron was behind me and dragged me up the rest of the steps. We were in such a panic that I had to tip my bag out to find the key. 'Inside the room, Baron told me to stay in the bathroom whilst he moved the furniture to barricade us in. We could hear gunshots, grenades, and screaming. 'We had no idea what was happening. There was no answer from the hotel reception, and we were worried about making calls, in case someone overheard our voices. I thought of my parents, and all my family back home. Would I ever see them again?' Alison recalled how she was still barricaded in her hotel room when a stranger began banging on the door and rattling the handle while she was inside, believing she was about to die. She said: 'Then someone began banging on our door. A voice shouted: "I have your key, and I am coming in". I was petrified. But I was ready to fight for my life. 'It felt like hours but eventually, the man went away. We will never know who he was or what he wanted, but he wasn't friendly. I feel sure we were close to death in that moment. 'From the balcony, we saw military boats arriving on the shore and there was a military helicopter, so we knew help was coming. 'But we also saw so many bodies and injured people being carried into the hotel. We saw people die. It was devastating.' Three and a half hours after the attack began, the couple went down to the hotel reception. Alison said: 'We had to flatten ourselves against the wall and check every corner, every stairway. It was terrifying.' Along with crowds of terrified holidaymakers, they were taken to the airport at around midnight and arrived back in Britain early the next day. Alison said: 'I started having panic attacks on the journey back and I couldn't breathe. When we arrived home, I expected to feel relief, but I didn't feel safe. I couldn't even go upstairs on my own. 'Baron took me to A and E and I was referred to the Crisis Team, who looked after me at home for the next ten days. 'We had three days of interviews with counter-terrorism police and then, I had to somehow try to rebuild my life. 'But I was traumatised. I couldn't bear to be in crowds, even with people I knew. I didn't feel safe going out on my own, I couldn't go shopping or go to work. 'Gradually, Baron and I changed our routine, so we'd shop early in the morning, when it was quiet, or we'd book a restaurant early in the evening. 'But I had anxiety and panic, and it was very hard. I had survivor's guilt too; I could not stop thinking about all the people who had died or lost loved ones. 'Four years on, we booked a villa in Spain, away from the coast. But going on holiday had become a trauma for me, not a treat. Every day was hard.' The couple had flown out to Tunisia in late June and immediately noticed the resort was much quieter than usual. Alison says: 'Many of the shops and restaurants were closed, and the locals' beach, which was usually packed, was empty. The hotel seemed much quieter too; there were not as many staff and there were fewer activities. There was no water polo. 'It was a bit spooky, but we didn't think much of it. We just enjoyed our holiday.' Recalling the moment she heard a knock at her door, she said: 'I thought I was going to die in that moment. Though I was terrified, I was overcome with a desire to fight – I wanted to stay alive. 'Even now, ten years on, I am not back to my old self, and I never will be. It took years for me to be able to go on holiday again and only last year, we stayed in a hotel on the beach for the first time. 'But in many ways the attack made me stronger and more compassionate towards others who might be going through their own trauma. It made me realise how precious life really is.' Alison had years of counselling and then began a new job working as an RAF Resettlement and Education Co-ordinator, where a colleague suggested she might benefit from coaching. She said: 'I found it really helpful. Instead of trying to move on and forget the attack, I accepted it would be with me always. I recognise the triggers and how to deal with them. I've learned many useful tools to deal with my PTSD. 'I've become stronger as a result, and kinder and more compassionate too. Traumatised people need support and understanding. 'Baron has been absolutely wonderful; I could not have got through this without him. Last year, we booked a beach hotel in Cyprus for the first time since Tunisia. I was a little anxious, but so proud of myself. It's another hurdle I've overcome. 'I hope other survivors of trauma will take hope from my story; you will feel better in time.' THE 30 BRITONS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE BEACH MASSACRE In all, 30 Britons were killed in the Tunisian beach massacre, along with three Irish citizens. One British tourist was shot dead in an earlier attack on the country's national museum. They were: British tourist Sally Adey, 57, from Shropshire, was among 22 people killed as ISIS terrorists opened fire at the Bardo National Museum in the capital Tunis in March 2015 Joel Richards, 19, a student at the University of Worcester and a talented football referee, believed to be the youngest of the British victims in the Sousse attack in June 2015; his uncle Adrian Evans, a manager at Sandwell Council in the West Midlands; and his grandfather Charles 'Patrick' Evans, 78 Former plumber John Welch, 74, and his partner Eileen Swannack, 73, from Wiltshire. The couple, who had been together for eight years, were staying at the RIU Imperial Marhaba, a hotel they 'adored' and stayed in every year of their relationship Christopher Bell, 59, and his 54-year-old wife Sharon, from Leeds John Stollery, 58, a social worker from Nottinghamshire. He was on holiday with his wife Cheryl and son. He worked with children in care at Nottinghamshire County Council, and his wife said 'he made a difference and gave his best to others' Retired scientist David Thompson, 80, from Tadley, Hampshire. It is understood he used to work for the Atomic Weapons Establishment and was a keen walker Chris Dyer, 32, an engineer who practised jiu-jitsu, from Watford. He was on holiday with his wife Gina Van Dort when he was shot. She clung on to her dead husband's hand as paramedics tried to get her to safety, according to reports Trudy Jones, 51, a divorced single mother-of-four from Gwent, South Wales. Described by her family as 'a caring person who put everyone else before herself', she had been holidaying with friends when she was killed Bruce Wilkinson, 72, a grandfather who was said to be a retired power station worker from Goole, East Yorkshire. He was described by his family as a 'kind and compassionate man' Lisa Burbidge, 66, a grandmother-of-four from Whickham, Gateshead. Her family said she doted on her grandchildren and described her as the 'most beautiful, amazing, caring and gentle person in our lives' Carly Lovett, 24, from Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. The fashion blogger, who was on holiday with her fiance Liam, reportedly survived the massacre on the beach only to die when a grenade was thrown into her hotel Former Birmingham City football player Denis Thwaites, 70, and his wife Elaine, 69, who lived in Blackpool. They had arrived at the resort two days before the attack. Mr Thwaites, a hospital porter, played for Birmingham City from 1962 to 1972 while his wife worked in hospitality Philip Heathcote, 52, from Felixstowe, Suffolk. His wife Allison, 48, was seriously injured in the attack. The couple had been celebrating their 30th anniversary when they were caught up in the atrocity Engineer Stephen Mellor, 59, from Bodmin in Cornwall. He was killed as he shielded his wife Cheryl on the beach Sue Davey, 43, from Staffordshire, and her partner Scott Chalkley, from Derby. The couple worked for Severn Trent Water, who described them as passionate and hugely caring Claire Windass, 54, from Hull. She was killed while her husband Jim survived the attack Jim and Ann McQuire, aged 66 and 63, from Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. Mr McQuire was a captain in the Boys' Brigade, a Christian youth organisation, which said it was 'shocked and deeply saddened' by his death Stuart Cullen, 52, from Lowestoft in Suffolk. He is believed to have died instantly. His wife was injured but survived Billy and Lisa Graham, from Bankfoot near Perth in Scotland. The couple were on a trip to the tourist resort of Sousse to celebrate Mrs Graham's 50th birthday Retired printer John Stocker, 74, and his wife Janet, 63, from Morden, Surrey. Their family said the pair 'were the happiest, most loving couple' Ray and Angela Fisher, believed to be aged 75 and 69, from Leicester. Their son Adam, from Redhill in Surrey, had not spoken to his parents since they left for their holiday The Irish victims were: Lorna Carty, a mother-of-two from Robinstown, Co Meath. Bishop of Meath Michael Smith said Mrs Carty was the victim of a 'senseless killing' Husband and wife Laurence and Martina Hayes, both in their 50s, from Athlone in Co Westmeath. Mr Hayes was a schools transport inspector who had worked for Bus Eireann for the last 20 years.
Metro
26-06-2025
- Metro
A gunman massacred tourists on a beach. Ten years later, they're coming back
On a hot June day in 2015, a man dressed in black walked along the beach outside the five-star Imperial Marhaba hotel in Sousse. It was almost noon, peak sunbathing time, and he was carrying a parasol. Nobody paid him much attention. Over the next 30 minutes, Seifeddine Rezgui rampaged with the Kalashnikov assault rifle that had been hidden in the parasol, shooting indiscriminately into crowds of tourists and anyone who crossed his path. By the time he was killed by Tunisian security forces, 23-year-old Rezgui had murdered 38 people and left another 39 wounded. Of the dead, 30 were British. It was the biggest loss of British life to terrorism since the 7/7 bombings in London in July 2005. For Tunisians and the tourism they rely on, it was devastating. 'The attack fully destroyed it as a destination. All the airlines pulled out, nobody wanted to go,' Nicholas Smith, Holidays Digital Director at Thomas Cook and eSky Group, tells Metro. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Before Sousse, tourism accounted for around 14% of Tunisia's GDP, employing almost half a million people from a population of 11 million. Confidence in the sector had been shaken three months before, when two Tunisian suicide attackers killed 22 tourists at the Bardo museum in the capital, Tunis. After the massacre in Sousse, a resort town where 90% of residents worked in tourism, directly or indirectly, it collapsed. Tour operators across the UK, Ireland and Europe suspended charters, spelling the end of Tunisia as a package holiday destination for years. After the Foreign Office advised against travel, hotels and restaurants that relied on footfall from foreigners were forced to close, and local heroes who formed human shields to save guests from Rezgui's bullets lost their jobs. The town, residents said, felt like it was dying. 'Everyone had a hard time,' says content creator Hamza Jabri, 33. 'Some started selling things on the street, others had to get help from their family or their neighbours. People had to find new ways to support themselves.' In 2014, the year before the attacks, 430,000 British tourists visited Tunisia. In 2017, there were 28,000. It was almost three years after Rezgui opened fire before travel operators cautiously returned. While the Tunisian government provided support payments and training to help the unemployed find new jobs, Covid dealt a double blow to a region already on its knees. 'It was a tough time, but people did their best to keep going,' Hamza says, resolutely. And today, against the odds, the future looks bright. Flights have resumed, and budget behemoths like easyJet are luring budget-conscious travellers with attractively priced packages. Luxury is accessible, with five-star hotels offering rooms for a fraction of the price you'd pay in Greece or Turkey. In 2024, Tunisia welcomed 10.25 million visitors; put in context, Morocco saw 17 million and Egypt 15.7 million. Like it does for dozens of countries, the Foreign Office still advises against travel to parts of Tunisia (mostly near the border with Libya). However, British officials say the country has made huge progress in counter-terrorism since the 2015 attacks, and Nicholas has seen proof in holiday spots such as Djerba, Sousse and Port El Kantaoui. 'The tourism board has done a lot to repair its image,' he says. 'They've spent a lot of money to make guests feel safe.' More Trending Most of that investment has been on security. But do people want to holiday in a place swarming with armed security and gendarmerie on jet skis patrolling the shore? 'Look, there's been a push for visible security, and there is some, but it's subtle,' says Smith. 'You can still get out and about, you're not locked up in a resort.' Tunisia clocked a record start to 2025, with a surge in year-on-year visitors from January to April, and Tunisians are thrilled to see them returning. 'Tourism is not just coming back, it's evolving,' says Hamza. 'I see more people returning every year, and now they're looking for authentic experiences, not just beach holidays.' MORE: 'Neo-nazi' teen wanted to go on 'terrorist rampage inspired by Jo Cox murder' MORE: Sleeper cells are lurking in the UK — experts reveal how worried we should be MORE: Is it safe to travel to Egypt? Latest Foreign Office tourist advice after Iran strikes US airbase
Daily Mirror
26-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I saw hotel terror attack aftermath firsthand - bravery shone amid bloodshed'
The sunbeds were still spattered with blood on Sousse beach when we arrived to witness the aftermath of the attack. There were paperbacks strewn across the sand where victims fell as a Jihadist gunman pulled out his Kalashnikov. Extremist Seifeddine Rezgui, a 22-year-old electrical engineering student, had massacred 38 tourists 10 years ago today in an attack on a beach outside the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel complex. Sunglasses and sun cream had been left among the personal belongings dropped by tourists fleeing for their lives. Amid the carnage, there was extraordinary bravery. Eyewitnesses told how hotel staff and sunbathers formed a 'human shield' around Brits and foreign tourists in a desperate bid to save them. A bar manager at the Belle Vue hotel, next door to the Imperial Marhaba, told how ordinary Tunisian people had tried to save people in the line of fire. The man, who would give his name only as Houssem, added: 'I was shouting at people 'run, run'. The gunman was laughing as he was shooting, when he had finished and he had killed everyone, he did not care, he did not try to run. 'He threw a mobile phone into the sea, he took it apart, then he came up here step by step and he was smiling, he was happy about what he wanted to do. Everyone was scared, but we did everything we could to stop him.' Brit John Yeoman, from Kettering, posted a photo of Belle Vue staff forming a human shield. He said: "Staff were in a line and they were shouting at him, saying 'we won't let you through'. They shouted: 'You'll have to go through us'. That's why he's got his back turned to them. He tried to get to my hotel and they stood up to him." Young and old, parents and grandparents, a beautician, a nurse, a council worker were all slain by the laughing gunman. Yet Rezgui's family claimed he was a football-loving, typical teenager before he was radicalised on-line by IS, and groomed for murder. His uncle revealed: "We didn't know where he was going, and there were no goodbyes. The entire family is shocked at the hidden reality of what he was capable of." But the killer posted before the massacre: "If love of jihad is a crime the whole world can witness that I am a criminal."
The Sun
21-06-2025
- The Sun
I came face-to-face with ISIS gunman and locked eyes with him as he opened fire – I'm still haunted by horrors I saw
TREMBLING with terror, I cowered as gunshots rang out under our hotel window. Then, just when I thought I couldn't feel more afraid, I heard banging on our door. 'Open up!' a man shouted. 'I have a key. I'm coming in!' 8 8 8 Knowing it was too dangerous to speak, my husband Baron and I exchanged glances. My heart lurched as the door handle rattled – I knew I was maybe only moments from death, but I also knew I would not give in without a fight. Five days earlier, in June 2015, Baron and I had checked in to our favourite hotel, The Imperial Marhaba. We'd holidayed in Tunisia for the past 10 years and it was our fifth time staying here. Moments from death We'd noticed that it was much quieter than usual – many restaurants and shops were closed, and the beach was empty. The hotel seemed quieter, too, with fewer staff and activities. We didn't think much of it at the time, but later the press speculated there had been prior warning of the attack that was not heeded. On our fifth day, we were at the pool preparing to walk down to the beach bar for lunch, when we heard a loud popping sound coming from that direction. Tunisia terror attack I wasn't worried, as it was a popular spot for weddings, so there were often fireworks. But then we heard screaming and saw people running. 'Run as fast as you can back to the room and don't stop!' Baron shouted. I set off, but there was a wave of people dashing in different directions, screaming and yelling, and the gunshots were getting closer. I stopped for a moment and, to my horror, spotted a man with a gun. He looked directly at me. Somehow, adrenalin got me moving again and I stumbled towards the hotel doors. Inside our room, Baron told me to hide in the bathroom, while he moved furniture to barricade us in. Outside, we could hear gunshots, grenades and screaming. I thought of my parents and all my family back home. Would I ever see them again? Then the banging on the door started. It was terrifying. 8 8 8 Was it the gunman? We had no way of knowing, but after what felt like an age, he moved on. Over our balcony, we saw military boats arriving to help. But we also saw so many bodies and injured people being carried into the hotel. It was devastating. Three and a half hours after the attack began, we learned the gunman had been shot dead and the so-called Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the attack. We were asked to gather in the hotel reception, and on the way down, we had to flatten ourselves against the wall and check every corner and stairway. Along with crowds of petrified holidaymakers, we waited until around midnight to be taken to the airport. On the flight, I began having panic attacks as I replayed in my mind what had happened. Once home, I expected to feel relief, but I still didn't feel safe – I couldn't even go upstairs on my own. I was haunted by the gunshots. Baron took me to A&E and I was referred to the crisis team, who looked after me at home for 10 days, and we had interviews with counter-terrorism police, too. Afterwards, I had to try to rebuild my life, but the trauma was debilitating. I couldn't bear to be in crowds, even with people I knew, and I couldn't go shopping or to work. I had nightmares and constant flashbacks to the attack. And although I knew I was lucky to survive, I felt guilt, too, as I'd made it out alive, when so many had died (38 people died, including 30 Brits, and 39 were left wounded). I had several years of counselling and was urged to put the attack behind me. But how could I just forget about it? It helped me accept the memories would always be with me, but I can spot the triggers and how to deal with them. Last year, we finally booked another beach holiday – this time to Cyprus. I was anxious, but I enjoyed the trip and I was so proud of myself. It's another hurdle I've overcome. In many ways, the attack has made me stronger and more compassionate, and it's made me realise how precious life really is. 8
