Tunisia terror: Builder helps bring gunman's rampage to end by throwing tiles

Seifeddine Yacoubi aka Seifeddine Rezgui strolls along the shoreline of a beach in Sousse Tunisisa 26 June 2015 carrying a gun prior to opening fire on tourists killing at least 39 people and injuring

A builder emerged as the unlikely hero of the Tunisian massacre, as he managed to stop the gunman's rampage by throwing tiles on his head.

Moncef Mayal, 56, was standing on a rooftop terrace as the gunman prowled the streets near the Imperial Marhaba hotel after his rampage at the weekend.

Armed with a Kalashnikov and grenades, Seifeddine Rezgui gunned down tourists on a private beach at popular resort El Kantaoui near Sousse, and then moved methodically through the grounds of the luxury hotel to the swimming pool, reception area and offices.

But then Mayal picked up a stack of terracotta roof tiles and threw it on the head of the gunman, causing him to stumble. At that point, around 25 minutes after his murderous spree began, Tunisian security forces shot Rezgui dead.

A worker passes by the scene of a shooting in Sousse, Tunisia. Photo / AP

Mayal told Channel 4 News: "It was my duty to do it as a Tunisian and as a Muslim," before breaking down in tears.

Thousands of terrified families were flown home from Tunisia yesterday in one of the biggest airlifts organised by British tour companies.

Wave after wave of empty aircraft were dispatched from the UK in response to pleas by British visitors traumatised by the beach massacre at the weekend and desperate to return home to worried loved ones.

At least 15 Britons were killed in the attack, Britain's worst loss of life in a terror incident since the 2005 London bombings.

There are fears the toll of British citizens murdered could rise to as high as 23. Three Irish citizens, one Belgian and a German were also among the 39 victims.

Another 39 people were injured, including 25 Britons, in the attack which was claimed by Isis (Islamic State), which controls large parts of Iraq and Syria.

- Daily Mail, AP, AFP