British tour operators send planes to evacuate tourists from Tunisia

British tour operators Thomson and First Choice sent 10 planes to evacuate tourists from Tunisia on Saturday after 39 people including at least five Britons were killed in the resort of Sousse in an attack claimed by Islamic State. The British government said it expected the number of British casualties to rise after the attack on Friday at the Imperial Marhaba hotel in Sousse, 140 km (90 miles) south of the capital Tunis. Other casualties included German and Belgian tourists.

Most of the people were British and there were a large number of British caught up in the shooting.

British Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon

A gunman disguised as a tourist opened fire on tourists as they lounged on the beach at the hotel, with a rifle he had hidden in an umbrella. Thomson and First Choice said several of the people killed and injured were their customers and that they were working closely with the local authorities to confirm the exact details of casualties.

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