Thomas Cook apologises to parents over Corfu gas deaths

Christianne and Robert Shepherd died while on holiday in Corfu in 2006

Holiday firm Thomas Cook has apologised to the parents of two children who died from carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Corfu.

A spokesman said a letter of apology was sent from chief executive Peter Fankhauser to parents Neil Shepherd and Sharon Wood.

Christi and Bobby Shepherd were killed by fumes from a faulty water boiler.

It has also been reported the tour operator received £3.5m in compensation after the deaths in 2006.

The Mail on Sunday said the payout was made for loss of profits and other expenses from the tragedy.

Mr Shepherd and Ms Wood told the newspaper they received only around a tenth of that figure.

'Shocked and saddened'

The children's mother told the paper: "It seems our children's lives are worth only a fraction of Thomas Cook's reputation."

The firm has not revealed the amount of compensation it was paid.

The children, from Horbury near Wakefield, were on holiday at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel with their father, Neil, and his now wife, Ruth, when they died.

They were found by a chambermaid in a bungalow at the hotel.

Their father and stepmother had also become ill and were in a coma when they were found but recovered in hospital.

Thomas Cook was cleared of responsibility at a trial in Greece in 2010 and awarded damages against the hotel's owner. At the time, it was reported the firm had been awarded an interim payment of £1m by the court.

On Wednesday, an inquest jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing in the case, and concluded that Thomas Cook "breached its duty of care".

The inquest heard the faulty hot water boiler had been housed in an outbuilding attached to the side of the bungalow where the family were staying.

Asked about the compensation it received, a Thomas Cook spokesman said: "After it was clear that the hotel was responsible for the tragedy all parties affected were compensated and Thomas Cook received a compensation that partly compensated for the costs related to the incident."

The company said it was "shocked and deeply saddened" by the deaths.

It added: "Thomas Cook recognises that the pain caused by this terrible accident will never go away and must be still very hard for friends and family to bear."

The boiler was described as "decrepit" in hearings

Neil Shepherd (centre) carries the coffin of one of his children

Neil Shepherd and Sharon Wood battled to get legal aid to be represented at the inquest

Mr Shepherd told the Mail on Sunday: "We all loved the idea of a bungalow because it looked out on to the sea and our children Christi and Bobby could run in and out to the gardens.

"We thought it would be a wonderful family holiday with happy memories. Instead it was to be the children's last days on this earth."

Mrs Wood added: "I've never blamed Neil or Ruth and they know that but I still find it extremely upsetting that I wasn't there for my kids. If they were going to die in someone's arms, it should have been mine."

Following a three-year battle by the family in the Greek courts, a criminal trial was held in 2010.

Three people, including the manager of the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel and two members of staff, were found guilty of manslaughter by negligence and sentenced to seven years.

Eight other people were cleared, including two Thomas Cook travel reps. The trial cleared the firm of any responsibility.

A Thomas Cook spokesman said: "The systems which were in place in 2006, which were intended to prevent such a tragedy, have since been thoroughly revised and address the criticisms made by the jury."

The company said it works with external health and safety experts to audit holiday properties and said: "The health and safety of our customers is of paramount importance and we continuously review and strive to improve all our procedures."