More than 800 British holidaymakers have initiated legal proceedings against travel operator TUI in the High Court, following severe gastric illnesses contracted during stays at luxury hotels in Cape Verde. The affected tourists, including children as young as six months, reportedly suffered debilitating conditions such as E.coli, salmonella, and shigella between the years 2022 and 2025.

The legal action concerns a total of 836 individuals who claim that their vacations, which they anticipated would be relaxing and enjoyable, turned into distressing experiences. Many of these holidaymakers were left hospitalised, and some individuals are still enduring lasting symptoms.

The allegations against TUI include failures in meeting essential hygiene standards. Tourists have reported incidents of undercooked food, meals served at improper temperatures, and leftovers being reused. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding unsanitary conditions in dining areas, with certain complainants observing birds, ants, and flies in food preparation zones, as well as instances of undercooked meat.

Nicky Morley, a 54-year-old author from Paignton, Devon, recounted her experience at the five-star Riu Palace Santa Maria, where she alleged she was served raw pork at the hotel’s barbecue within her first day of arrival. This led to severe gastrointestinal symptoms that required hospitalisation in Cape Verde. “Not for one minute did I ever expect to fall ill like I did. It’s just not something you expect to pick up in a five-star hotel,” she remarked, pointing out that the hygiene practices at the resort, including chefs not wearing gloves or hairnets, raised serious concerns for her.

Kelly Barrett, from Whitland, Carmarthenshire, Wales, is also among the claimants. Her two young children fell ill shortly after their stay at the Hotel Riu Funana from November 22 to December 6, 2022. Both children were hospitalized due to severe gastric symptoms, and they eventually required emergency airlifting to receive treatment in Tenerife. Two years on, they continue to experience lingering health issues. Kelly expressed her distress at witnessing her children’s suffering, stating, “The holiday went from what we hoped would be a dream trip to a disaster.”

The law firm Irwin Mitchell, which is representing the affected holidaymakers, confirmed they have now filed proceedings in the High Court on behalf of hundreds of clients, with the total number of individuals claiming illness connected to Cape Verde exceeding 1,400 during the specified years. Jatinder Paul, a specialist lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, described the situation as “truly staggering,” and indicated that the number of claims could continue to rise if TUI does not engage in meaningful dialogue regarding the accusations.

Despite numerous efforts to resolve these claims amicably, TUI has either denied liability or failed to respond to the allegations. The hotels involved in the legal action include multiple establishments under the Riu brand, alongside others such as Melia Dunas and TUI Blue Cabo Verde, with varying numbers of claimants associated with each hotel.

TUI did not respond to requests for comments regarding the ongoing litigation or the allegations made against them.

Source: Noah Wire Services