The couple travelled to a five-star resort in Cape Verde.
A seaside on Sal Island, Cape Verde. (Picture: Second RF.)
A “great, loving and caring” County Durham dad turned the seventh British vacationer to die after being struck down with a extreme sickness whereas holidaying in Cape Verde in November, attorneys say. The person, in his 50s, suffered with signs for 12 weeks earlier than struggling multi-organ failure and dying.
His spouse, who needs her household to stay nameless, has spoken out within the hope that different households can keep away from an ordeal like theirs. The couple travelled to the five-star Riu Palace Santa Maria with their step-daughter for per week lengthy all-inclusive vacation costing greater than £6,000 on August 11, 2025.
Two days into the vacation, booked via TUI, the dad-of-two and stepdad-of-two fell sick with signs together with diarrhoea, stomach cramping pains and vomiting, which continued all through the vacation. The person, who was already immunosuppressed, continued to undergo with signs till his return residence. He quickly deteriorated in October 2025 and following his admission to hospital, his well being additional declined. He died on November 2, 2025.
Praia de Santa Maria, in Sal, Cape Verde. (Picture: Second Open.)
The person’s spouse, who’s in her 40s, mentioned: “We would been to the resort the yr earlier than to have fun my husband’s retirement and loved it a lot we booked once more to return. Nonetheless, as quickly as we arrived the second time, we could not imagine how a lot it appeared to have modified from our earlier vacation.
“We did not count on the poor requirements we skilled, particularly for the cash we paid. When my husband fell sick, he tried to proceed however the vacation was ruined. Much more worrying was how his signs continued to persist as soon as we obtained residence. He tried to hold on but it surely was apparent he wasn’t himself and was nonetheless struggling. We’re nonetheless in full shock over his demise.
“My husband was my soulmate and a completely great, loving and caring dad. We by no means imagined that occurring what we thought can be an gratifying vacation would result in such traumatic occasions unfolding. I might do something to show the clock again, however I do know nothing can undo what’s occurred and the way our household won’t ever be the identical once more. Nonetheless, I would not need anybody else to undergo the identical expertise. Folks want to concentrate on the problems lots of of holidaymakers to Cape Verde are dealing with.”
Cape Verde authorities confirmed circumstances of sickness and the presence of the shigella micro organism in irrigation water and contemporary meals on Sal and Boa Vista. Authorities have launched an investigation following what it described as studies of suspected gastroenteritis in European vacationers to Sal and Boa Vista.
The general public well being investigation by the Cape Verde authorities is believed to have seen 156 samples – from ingesting water, contemporary meals, food-handling surfaces, meals handlers, irrigation water and medical samples – analysed. Micro organism was detected in samples of water used to irrigate contemporary produce.
Whereas officers acknowledged some vacationers could have been contaminated, they mentioned constructive samples fell inside surveillance parameters so didn’t represent an sickness outbreak. Following the identification of micro organism, the authorities issued suggestions to companies, together with strengthening disinfection processes for contemporary produce all through the manufacturing, import, and distribution chain in addition to intensifying inspection actions.
Specialist attorneys at Irwin Mitchell have been instructed by greater than 1,700 UK vacationers to Cape Verde who’ve fallen sick since 2022, together with the County Durham man who died. Jatinder Paul, who leads the crew representing households, mentioned: “We proceed to be contacted by lots of extra individuals reporting all too acquainted and worrying first-hand accounts of how their holidays have been ruined by critical sickness.
“Whereas our focus stays on establishing the total info of how these holidaymakers fell sick, this newest growth is of nice concern. Shigella is very contagious. Consuming or ingesting contaminated meals or water is among the most typical methods of transmitting the an infection, and solely a small variety of micro organism is required to trigger an infection.
“We would urge these planning on travelling to Cape Verde over the approaching weeks and months to make sure they eat totally cooked, steaming sizzling meals, all the time choose fruits they will peel and keep away from uncooked greens and salads. Whereas it is too late for individuals who have already suffered life-changing penalties following sickness linked to holidays, it is important that tour operators – who’re chargeable for guaranteeing the security of those that have booked all-inclusive package deal holidays – and authorities get on high of the reported hygiene points on the islands. These affected by sickness should not really feel pressured into accepting early settlement supply from tour operators with out understanding their full authorized rights. We strongly advise searching for impartial authorized recommendation.
“The results of gastric sickness ought to by no means be downplayed as signs can result in life-long and debilitating issues and even demise.”
Jane Pressley, 62, of Gainsborough and Mark Ashley, 55, from Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire; each died in January 2023 and November 2025 after holidaying on the Riu Palace Lodge in Santa Maria, in Sal. Nurse Eleana Walsh, 64, from Birmingham, died in August 2025 after falling sick whereas staying on the Riu Cabo Verde resort in Sal.
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Karen Pooley, 64, from Lydney, Gloucestershire, died in October after falling sick and struggling a damaged leg whereas staying on the Riu Funana resort in Sal. Irwin Mitchell can also be representing the family members of two males of their 60s and 50s who died after struggling gastric sickness whereas staying on the Riu Karamboa in Boa Vista in November 2024 and November 2025 respectively.
TUI declined to remark when approached by ChronicleLive.
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