Emma Blundell on holiday in Antigua at the resort where newlywed Catherine Mullany was shot dead while on her two-week honeymoon. (Picture supplied by Emma Blundell and Stewart Harris, 0614313)
THE horrific shooting of two British honeymooners in Antigua this week has shocked the world, but especially one local woman who stayed at the same hotel.
Emma Blundell stayed at the Cocos Hotel in the Caribbean island, where newlyweds Ben and Catherine Mullany were shot by robbers on Monday.
She and boyfriend Stewart Harris were there in October and said it was strange seeing the resort on TV in the wake of the honeymoon tragedy.
‘It’s horrific,’ said the 22-year-old travel agent. ‘It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. It should have been the happiest time of their lives. I could see the villa we stayed at in the background when it was on TV.’
The dead woman, 31, who was a doctor, was shot in the head at the hotel in what has been described as a suspected robbery that had gone terribly wrong.
The groom, also 31, is in a critical condition after having been shot in the neck. Reports say he has little chance of survival due to the extent of his injuries.
Arrangements were being made today to fly him back to Britain.
Police have detained more than a dozen people over the shooting.
The Guernsey couple spent 10 days at the luxury resort and said it was beautiful.
Like all holidaymakers, they were careful about not leaving their valuables on display.
The resort is right on a cliff, they said, but above one of the busiest beaches.
However, there is security there at all times, said Miss Blundell.
‘We would not leave anything on the balcony, but I think that’s the same wherever you go,’ she said.
‘When I got into work a colleague was talking about it,
‘I realised straight away that it was the same resort we stayed at.
‘I just thought how horrible it was and it kind of makes it more real when you have been there.
‘I was thinking about how much it must have affected the staff who we had met, who were all so lovely.’
Miss Blundell said that she hoped it would not stop tourists from visiting the resort.
‘Nothing is 100%,’ she said. ‘It would not stop me going back because it was an idyllic resort with lovely people.
‘This is one of those horrific incidents and, hopefully, a one-off.’
Article posted on 31st July, 2008 - 2.29pm
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2 Article Comments
Frankly i think this non- story is absolutely disgusting. The events in Antigua would have been dreadful in any circumstances, but the couples recent wedding make it utterly tragic. I don’t understand whythe Press feels the need to Guernsey-fy this national story.
Atleast when the BBC pulled this same stunt last week, they atleast chose someone who had suffered a mugging whislt in the Cocos resort- so there was atleast a point- that perhaps the venue wasn’t as safe as a tourist might have assumed.
Honestly its ridiculous, throw a stone and you’ll find many people have gone to Antigue, and of those i dare say several have stayed at Cocos, its one of the best known and popular resorts on the island. An utterrly disrespectful non-story.
I have to agree with Frosty. I read the story expecting to find there was an Island link between one of the victims and a Guernsey resident..the story turned out to be vacuous to the N’th’ degree.
In the event that Fidel Castro dies of natural causes perhaps the Press might like to mention that I and my family had a holiday in Cuba in 1995.