Nearly 2,000 British individuals who became sick after contracting suspected stomach illnesses while on vacation have joined a growing legal action against travel company TUI. Law firm Irwin Mitchell reported that over 1,700 people have now become part of a personal injury claim against TUI after falling ill during trips to the Cape Verde Islands. Among these individuals are those who believe they acquired a stomach bug in the West African archipelago within the past two weeks.
According to Irwin Mitchell attorneys, they suspect that up to eight Britons died after contracting suspected viruses like Salmonella and bacteria while on holiday in the region in recent years. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, solicitor Jatinder Paul expressed astonishment at the scale of the case, emphasizing the unfortunate number of deaths resulting from the illnesses.
Mr. Paul cautioned that the case might proceed to the High Court, potentially leading to significant compensation payouts to their clients. TUI stated that they are investigating the claims made by Irwin Mitchell and expressed condolences to the affected families while highlighting their commitment to customer health and safety.
Irwin Mitchell disclosed that their clients suffered from various infections such as E.coli, salmonella, shigella, and parasitic infections like cryptosporidium following their travel to the archipelago. A report by the UK Health Security Agency in February revealed numerous cases of shigella and Salmonella since October 2025. The infections caused gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, stomach cramps, and high fever, affecting both adults and children, some as young as six months old.
The law firm had initially estimated six deaths during the outbreak, but they later revised the figure to eight. Liz Pooley, daughter of Karen Pooley who passed away from sepsis and multi-organ failure after being airlifted from a Cape Verde clinic, recounted her heartbreaking ordeal, urging for accountability and prevention of similar tragedies in the future.
