allroad
Inactive User
Apology over tsunami son's body
Dale Hurren flew to Thailand to identify his son James
The Foreign Office has apologised to a father whose son was killed in the Asia tsunami after officials refused him help in bringing the body home.
Dale Hurren, from Caister, described the Foreign Office as 'heartless' after being told he would have to organise repatriation and pay the £2,000 bill.
When he arrived in Thailand friends of his son James, 22, had found the body.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the family had not received a "full level of service in all its respects".
Package of assistance
Mr Hurren claims officials in Phuket said no decision had been made about how British victims would be sent home after the body of his 22-year-old son had been found.
The spokeswoman said: "In the case of James Hurren the Foreign Office offered a package of assistance which included the help of an international undertaker.
"But from the initial reports the family did not receive the full level of service in all its respects."
Our aim is to ensure at this difficult time that no family is out of pocket
Foreign Office spokeswoman
She said Foreign Office staff, who were working hard to provide every support and assistance to people affected, now regret the family did not receive the expected level of service and support for repatriation.
They were now in negotiation with them to make it clear what financial and other support was available.
"Our aim is to ensure at this difficult time that no family is out of pocket," said the spokeswoman.
James's body was taken to Bangkok airport on Saturday and was brought home on a flight by Thai Airways, which refused to take any payment.
Dale Hurren flew to Thailand to identify his son James
The Foreign Office has apologised to a father whose son was killed in the Asia tsunami after officials refused him help in bringing the body home.
Dale Hurren, from Caister, described the Foreign Office as 'heartless' after being told he would have to organise repatriation and pay the £2,000 bill.
When he arrived in Thailand friends of his son James, 22, had found the body.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the family had not received a "full level of service in all its respects".
Package of assistance
Mr Hurren claims officials in Phuket said no decision had been made about how British victims would be sent home after the body of his 22-year-old son had been found.
The spokeswoman said: "In the case of James Hurren the Foreign Office offered a package of assistance which included the help of an international undertaker.
"But from the initial reports the family did not receive the full level of service in all its respects."
Our aim is to ensure at this difficult time that no family is out of pocket
Foreign Office spokeswoman
She said Foreign Office staff, who were working hard to provide every support and assistance to people affected, now regret the family did not receive the expected level of service and support for repatriation.
They were now in negotiation with them to make it clear what financial and other support was available.
"Our aim is to ensure at this difficult time that no family is out of pocket," said the spokeswoman.
James's body was taken to Bangkok airport on Saturday and was brought home on a flight by Thai Airways, which refused to take any payment.
