Tunisia attack: Bodies of all but one of British victims identified, according to Government

As many as 38 people were killed in the terrorist attack

Tributes lie on the beach near the RIU Imperial Marhaba hotel in Sousse, Tunisia, following the terror attacks on the beach. (Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

Officials have formally identified all but one of the 30 Britons believed to have been killed by a gunman on a Tunisian beach, the Foreign Secretary has confirmed.

Philip Hammond made the comments after the first bodies of the murdered Britons were repatriated to the UK on Wednesday.

Speaking after chairing an emergency meeting of the Government’s Cobra committee, he said the bodies of the remaining victims would be brought home “over the coming days”.

A C-17 military transport aircraft carried the bodies from the Tunisian capital of Tunis to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Family members gathered at the RAF base wept as the flower-adorned coffins of Adrian Evans, Patrick Evans, Joel Richards, Carly Lovett, Stephen Mellor, John Stollery, and Denis and Elaine Thwaites were carried from the aircraft.

The victims were among 38 people shot dead by 23-year-old student Seifeddine Rezgui at the resort of Sousse on Friday.

"I can confirm that the number of Britons killed in the Tunisia terrorist attack who have been positively identified has now reached 29,” Mr Hammond said.

"One victim now remains who we believe is British but police require further time to confirm the identity.

He added: "All of our injured are home and all bar one of the 30 who we believe are British have now been positively identified. The first RAF flight to repatriate the bodies of those killed in the attack returned eight of the victims to their loved ones.

"The remaining bodies will be flown back to Britain over the coming days."

Addressing the attack at the Commons on Wednesday, Prime Minister David Cameron said he is looking into creating a ministerial committee to co-ordinate work across Government "to provide all the support that the victims of this appalling attack deserve and also to make sure that, as a nation, we mark and commemorate this event appropriately".

The authorities in Tunisian are now questioning a number of people believed to be linked to Rezgui, who had links to the Isis terrorist group.