‘Inconclusive’ post mortems on Egypt hotel holiday couple John and Susan Cooper

John and Susan Cooper died while on holiday in Hurghada, Egypt.

Post mortems carried out in the UK on the British couple who died on holiday in Egypt have not been able to find out the cause of death, lawyers have said.

John and Susan Cooper, from Burnley, Lancashire, died on August 21 while on a Thomas Cook holiday at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

Forensic examinations carried out by the authorities in Egypt reported the couple died due to illnesses caused by the E.coli bacteria, however this was dismissed by the couple’s daughter Kelly Ormerod last week.

The Coopers were staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel on the Red Sea. Credit: PA Graphics

On Monday, the family's solicitors said further Home Office post mortems had proven “inconclusive” but further tests will be carried out on the Coopers.

In a statement, Smith Jones solicitors said that the "pathologist was unable to ascertain the likely cause of death" for either Mr or Mrs Cooper.

“Unfortunately, notwithstanding the ‘positive’, though contradictory, assertions of the Egyptian authorities, the results of that post mortem were inconclusive, and the pathologist was unable to ascertain the likely cause of death in either case...

“Kelly and her family remain committed to establishing the true cause of John and Susan’s deaths and holding those responsible to account."

They continued that further "toxicological screening and other relevant tests will now be carried out" in a bid to determine the cause of death.

Egyptian authorities linked the couples' death to illnesses caused by the E.coli bacteria. Credit: AP

Ms Ormerod, 40, has said she has “no faith” in the Egyptian authorities, who said their examinations showed Mr Cooper, 69, suffered acute intestinal dysentery caused by E.coli, and Mrs Cooper, a 63-year-old Thomas Cook employee, suffered a complication linked to infection, likely to have been caused by E.coli.

Egyptian authorities added that the bodies of the couple showed “no criminal violence” and other tests of air and water at the hotel found nothing unusual.

Thomas Cook’s own tests identified a high level of E.coli at the hotel, which would “explain the raised level of illness reported among guests”.

But the firm said the independent specialists it commissioned to carry out the tests did not believe the results “shed any light” on the cause of the Coopers’ deaths.

Thomas Cook moved 300 guests out of the hotel 24 hours after the couple died as a precaution.

Inquests into the deaths of the couple are expected to be opened and adjourned at Preston Coroner’s Court on Tuesday.