More than 1,700 British tourists who became seriously ill during trips to Cape Verde have launched legal action against travel company Tui. The cases, handled by law firm Irwin Mitchell, include reports of infections such as cryptosporidium, E. coli, Salmonella, and Shigella, with children as young as six months affected. Jatinder Paul, a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, said the firm believes at least eight people have died following holidays in the West African island nation, though Tui previously confirmed six deaths since 2023. Evidence gathered includes footage of undercooked food, flies on buffet spreads, and mould in hotel rooms.
Elena Walsh, 64, from Birmingham, died on August 10, 2025, days after falling ill on a Tui holiday with her family. Her son, Sean Walsh, said she deteriorated rapidly in hospital. Karen Pooley, from Lydney, died on October 16 from sepsis and multi-organ failure after a Tui trip; her daughter holds the company responsible. The UK Health Security Agency reported 118 Shigella and 43 Salmonella cases linked to Cape Verde since October 1, 2025, with four deaths occurring during holidays. Tui, which has transported over one million holidaymakers to Cape Verde since 2022, said customer safety is a priority and is awaiting the full Cape Verde health report.
Tui's involvement in over a million trips to Cape Verde since 2022, now shadowed by multiple deaths and a surge of illness among tourists, raises serious questions about oversight in international holiday packages sold to foreign travellers. When a single destination links to hundreds of infections and several fatalities, the scale goes beyond bad luck. Nigerian travellers who book similar all-inclusive overseas trips may need to reconsider assumptions about safety standards, even with reputable brands. The belief that big tour operators guarantee secure experiences is being tested by real harm.
