More than 2,000 individuals have joined a personal injury claim against TUI after allegedly falling ill during holidays in Cape Verde, with solicitors warning that this could be just the beginning. The legal action, spearheaded by Irwin Mitchell, follows reports of holidaymakers contracting serious gastric illnesses, including E. coli, salmonella, shigella, and parasitic infections such as cryptosporidium, while staying at TUI package resorts.
Lawyer Warns of 'Tip of the Iceberg'
Jatinder Paul, the solicitor leading the case for Irwin Mitchell, described the scale of the litigation as unprecedented in his 20-year career. He told The Sun: 'This could just be the tip of the iceberg. These are just the people that have contacted us. In all my years of doing this – and that’s about 20 years of representing people that have suffered serious injuries abroad – I’ve not come across a case such as this.' He added that the case is 'on an absolute huge scale' and 'not something that I’ve ever seen before.'
Paul highlighted recurring complaints about food hygiene, stating: 'We’ve heard over and over again meat being uncooked. We’ve seen photographs of chicken that is quite clearly raw. We’ve seen flies on food, considerable flies on food.'
Appeal to TUI to Settle
Paul urged TUI to resolve the matter amicably, warning that if not, Irwin Mitchell would pursue the cases through trial. He said: 'TUI have denied liability in all of these cases. So, we are having to litigate these cases in the High Court. We would encourage, in fact, I would go as far as saying I would implore TUI to come to the table and work with us to resolve these cases amicably. Because if we can’t do that, we will fight these cases all the way through a trial and seek an order from a judge.'
Earlier, Paul told BBC Breakfast that he had never 'seen a case this large and unfortunately so many that have died as a result of the illnesses.' He confirmed the firm is 'pursuing all of our cases against TUI,' adding: 'They had a responsibility in taking our clients away on a package holiday which was not going to cause them any illness. Unfortunately it was the opposite of that.'
Eight Deaths Linked to Illnesses
Among the victims are Elena Walsh, 64, from Birmingham; Mark Ashley, 55, from Bedfordshire; and Karen Pooley, 64, from Gloucester. Two unnamed men in their 50s, including a retired firefighter from County Durham, also died in 2025. Two additional unnamed individuals are believed to have died, but their identities have not been released.
Paul expressed the human toll of the cases, saying: 'We represent eight families who have lost loved ones as a result of serious illness out there, and they’re part of the group action. This is not just about numbers, and absolutely it’s huge numbers we’re talking about, but these are people’s lives that have been turned around. These are people’s loved ones that have had to come back from Cape Verde in some cases with an empty seat.'
Holidaymaker's Ordeal
Alisha Hussain, 21, from Rotherham, paid £900 per head for a week-long holiday with a friend in Cape Verde starting July 24, 2025. She fell ill with diarrhoea, which escalated to vomiting blood and seizures. Alisha told Irwin Mitchell that she lost consciousness and her friend had to seek hotel staff assistance. Her blood sugar was dangerously low due to illness. Upon returning to the UK, she went straight to A&E and said she has been 'left traumatised' by the experience.
She stated: 'I went on this holiday expecting to be safe and to have an enjoyable experience, but instead I became the most unwell I’ve ever been in my life. I was left vomiting blood, having seizures, and at one point I lost consciousness and was choking on my own vomit. My friend had to fight to get help from the hotel. The smell in our room was awful. Even though I complained it was never dealt with while the snack bar and dining hall were swarming with flies. Not only was my holiday ruined but I’ve been left traumatised. The hotel is marketed as a five-star resort but my experience of it was anything but that. I want answers but I also don’t want anyone else to go through what I did.'
TUI's Response
TUI declined to comment on individual cases but reiterated its commitment to customer safety. A spokesperson said: 'We are deeply saddened by the reports of these tragic losses and extend our sincere condolences to the families affected. While we cannot comment on individual cases, customer health and safety is always our highest priority. We have established procedures in place to support any customer who becomes unwell while on holiday, including access to appropriate medical care and assistance in resort. We continue to follow FCDO advice and engage with hotel partners and relevant authorities where appropriate.'
