Relatives of Scottish Jean Hanlon from Dumfries, found dead on Crete in 2009, are seeking greater support for the families of people who lose their lives overseas. Hanlon’s son, Michael Porter, joined other families protesting outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on Wednesday to highlight the fact that the issue affects many grieving relatives. Another protester outside the FCO was Erin Bain, aged 28, from Hamilton who wanted to highlight the lack of support following the death of her brother, Ryan, in Greece, also in 2009.

Both Jean Hanlon and Erin Bain believe that their loved ones died under suspicious circumstances. “The Greek authorities just expect us to accept that a fit, healthy young man, a strong swimmer, with no past medical history apart from losing an eye, drowned in a hotel swimming pool,” says Ms. Bain. “We want to know what happened – was there a lifeguard there and if not, why? Were there witnesses? It won’t change what happened but we need some sort of closure.”

On his part, Mr. Hanlon believes his mother, a Shirley Valentine-styled Scottish tourist worker on Crete was murdered when she disappeared from Herakleion only to be found in the sea four days later. He says that she had suffered a broken neck before she went into the water and also had minor injuries to her face and neck. After he was told that she died in an accident, he persisted in looking for answers and managed to get a murder inquiry opened by the Greek authorities but the case was closed in 2012. Like Ms. Bain’s family, Mr. Hanlon’s family have been frustrated by the lack of progress in the investigations of the Greek police.

Michael Porter says his mum’s killer was never nailed

“No matter where someone dies or is killed, murdered or happens to pass away in a country there should be help,” said Mr. Porter, adding that the UK should assist the victims’ families “legally, financially and mentally.”

The FCO released a statement that it would meet with each of the 32 families that gathered outside their offices to draw attention to the problems relatives of loved ones who die overseas face. “This is an incredibly difficult time for any family and the FCO has teams of trained professionals in the UK and across the world ready to offer support,” said the FCO in a statement that also points out that over 6,000 British nationals die overseas every year and their relatives are given support through a wide range of agencies.

The statement pointed to groups such as Victim Support Scoltand and Missing Abroad that helps relatives of families. The UK’s jurisdiction however cannot influence the judicial process of the country where UK citizens die.