Efforts to begin to bring Tunisia victims home
Efforts are expected to begin this week to repatriate the bodies of three Irish people killed in Friday's terrorist attack in Tunisia.
Lorna Carty from Co Meath and Larry and Martina Hayes from Westmeath are among the 38 people who died in the mass shooting in Sousse.
IS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Larry and Martina Hayes had one child — Sinead, 30. Larry worked with Bus Éireann as an inspector in Athlone. The couple, who were in their 50s, had originally lived on the outskirts of Athlone, near Moydrum, but had recently moved into West Lodge, an estate in Athlone on the western side of the Shannon, as reported in today's Irish Examiner..
Lorna Carty, a nurse in a GP surgery in Navan, was on holiday with her husband Declan following his recent heart surgery. Lorna had been due to travel home with Declan hours after the attack. The couple's children are Simon, 21, a science student at University College Dublin who is on the Meath senior Gaelic football panel, and Hazel, 18, who has just completed her Leaving Certificate.
Simon was at home when news of their mother’s death emerged. He has travelled to Tunisia to be with his father. It is understood the trip was a present from a relative to help Declan recover from his recent surgery.
Hazel was on holiday in Turkey when she heard of her mother's death. It is understood she has since returned home.
Irish citizens who are on holiday in the area or who are booked to travel there in the coming weeks are advised to contact their travel agents for advice.
Sunway Ireland has offered a full refund or alternative holiday to anyone due to travel out to Tunisia on July 3.
Sunway Ireland MD Tanya Airey offered the company's condolences to the Carty and Hayes families. The Cartys and Hayeses had travelled to Tunisia with Sunway.
Six hundred British police officers are now involved in the Tunisia terror attack investigation - the biggest national policing response by the force since the 7/7 bombings in London
Sixteen officers, including specialist forensic officers, have gone out to the country, while other detectives have been getting information from returning tourists.
British holidaymaker Lee Inwood spoke to police when he got back from Tunisia.
His wife came face-to-face with the gunman about 30 minutes before he started shooting, and raised the alarm when he opened fire.
"My wife was screaming: 'They're killing people. It's a bloodbath. They're killing people on the beach.' Nobody knew what to do, where to turn, who to talk to."
