More than 800 Brits are launching High Court legal action against travel agency TUI after being struck down with severe illnesses at luxury hotels in Cape Verde. Hundreds of tourists say they were left hospitalised as a result of gastric illnesses after their dream trips proved to be “disasters”.
A number of travellers, including adults and youngsters with one as young as six months, were hospitalised after their idyllic escapes to the sun-soaked islands turned into nightmares due to gastric illnesses.
Between 2022 and this year the guests, including adults and youngsters with one as young as six months, experienced severe health problems like E.coli, salmonella and shigella. And some say they are still living with “debilitating symptoms”.
Legal representatives for a staggering 836 individuals have delivered proceedings against the travel giant TUI, claiming they did not safeguard their guests from a series of hygiene failings. TUI is alleged to have permitted undercooked food to be served, dishes presented at incorrect temperatures and repurposed in future meals, according to claims by the aggrieved vacationers.
Complaints from the hotel guests also included witnessing birds, ants, and flies around areas where food was prepared and buffets, alongside instances of undercooked meat. One holidaymaker lost more than four stone in weight after a stay at the five-star Riu Palace Santa Maria resort from May 10 to May 25, 2022 as a result of illness.
Nicky Morley, a 54-year-old writer from Paignton in Devon, forked out in excess of £2,000 for what was supposed to be a lavish getaway with her partner. Nicky suspects that her illness was the result of consuming raw pork provided at the hotel’s poolside barbecue eatery, just a day after arrival.
Later that day, she began to experience diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain, leading her to a hospital in Cape Verde. There, she was given intravenous fluids and medication.
After being discharged, Nicky returned to the resort, where she was advised to consume plain food. She ordered grilled chicken, but it appeared raw once again.
Nicky described the flight back home as “extremely uncomfortable”. Upon her return to the UK, she sought help from a GP who prescribed antibiotics.
However, since her holiday, Nicky continues to battle with diarrhoea, urgency, pain and nausea. She has lost over four stone and still maintains a very restricted diet nearly three years later.
Nicky expressed: “Not for one minute did I ever expect to fall ill like I did. It’s just not something you anticipate in a five-star hotel, but the fact that I was served raw food more than once makes me suspect many others would have also been sick.
“The hygiene at the resort was also pretty questionable, with flies and birds seen around the food area. The chefs I observed weren’t wearing gloves or hairnets either, which I would have thought would have been basic health and safety.
“Since the holiday, I’ve struggled to socialise or eat out with friends as I’m anxious about my bowel issues. My whole life has been affected.”
Kelly Barrett has also sought legal advice after her young children fell ill while staying at Hotel Riu Funana in Sal. Her family from Carmarthenshire in Wales, shelled out over £5,000 for a 14-night holiday spanning from November 22 to December 6, 2022.
Just days into their trip, siblings Rowan and Dennie, now aged four and three, began suffering from gastric symptoms, including stomach cramps, diarrhoea, and vomiting. Rowan ended up in hospital overnight, followed by Dennie’s admission.
The children’s condition worsened, leading to an emergency airlift to a Tenerife hospital for specialised care. Two years later, the siblings are still dealing with health issues stemming from the illness, with changes in bowel habits and Rowan developing a fear of doctors.
The family said they had concerns about the presence of ants in the buffet restaurant and the lack of pool maintenance, noting the absence of a chlorine smell in the swimming pool water. Kelly, 37, shared: “For weeks we’d researched where to go and looked at various options.
“We chose the resort as it looked like everything we wanted. We made sacrifices and saved hard for months to enjoy what we thought would be a special family holiday. However, the enthusiasm and excitement we had about our holiday quickly vanished.
“Seeing the children so poorly was absolutely awful. As a parent all we wanted to do was help and care for Rowan and Dennie, but we felt so powerless.
“Even after they got to hospital nothing changed. Getting airlifted just showed how serious it was, but it was such a relief getting off the island and Rowan and Dennie getting the help they needed.
“More than two years on the children still aren’t right and suffer with symptoms. The scary thing is we don’t know how long they may be affected.
“The holiday went from what we hoped would be a dream trip to a disaster. What’s even more concerning is that we appear not to be alone.
“I wish we’d never have booked the holiday, but I know I can’t turn the clock back. However, we deserve answers and because of TUI’s stance have been left with no choice but to get those in court.”
Jatinder Paul, a specialist international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, is representing the 836 tourists affected by illness. He said: “The number of people to have fallen seriously ill in Cape Verde over the past three years is truly staggering.
“Following investigations we’ve now issued proceedings in the High Court in several hundred cases and this number will continue to increase in the coming months if TUI refuse to engage with us.
“The effects of gastric illness can be very serious and should never be downplayed. As many of our cases demonstrate, they can result in life-changing complications and in some cases, even death.
“Nearly three years on, many of our clients for whom we’ve issued legal proceedings on behalf of continue to suffer from debilitating symptoms linked to their illness.
“While it’s too late for those we represent in terms of their holiday being ruined by such illness, we’re determined to provide them with the answers they deserve and where appropriate access to ongoing support and treatment they may require.
“Despite the seriousness of these cases, it is regrettable that TUI have failed to resolve these claims amicably. We call on TUI to work with us to resolve these cases as quickly as possible so that our clients can try and start to put the past behind them.”
The law firm said TUI has either expressly denied liability, or failed to reply, on all of the 836 cases.
The hotels and the numbers of people being represented in the High Court are:
- Riu Palace Boavista – 57 holidaymakers
- Riu Palace Santa Maria – 300 holidaymakers
- Riu Funana – 183 holidaymakers
- Riu Cabo Verde: 105 holidaymakers
- Riu Touareg: 25 holidaymakers
- Melia Dunas – 70 holidaymakers
- Sol Dunas, now called TUI Suneo Dunas – 64 holidaymakers
- TUI Blue Cabo Verde – 32 holidaymakers.
TUI did not respond to a request for comment.