Cape Verde Gastric Illness Outbreak Sparks Massive Legal Action Against TUI
Nearly two thousand British holidaymakers who fell ill with suspected gastric infections during trips to Cape Verde have joined escalating legal proceedings against tour operator TUI, according to law firm Irwin Mitchell. The firm revealed that over 1,700 individuals have now registered personal injury claims against the company, with some reporting illnesses as recently as two weeks ago.
Legal Proceedings Reach Unprecedented Scale
Irwin Mitchell's legal team has indicated they believe as many as eight British tourists died after contracting suspected viruses and bacterial infections during holidays to the West African island chain in recent years. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Irwin Mitchell solicitor Jatinder Paul described the case as unprecedented in his extensive career.
"In all my years of doing this work, I have not seen a case this large and unfortunately so many that have died as a result of the illnesses," Mr. Paul stated. "We are pursuing all of our cases against TUI. 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."
Potential High Court Battle and Compensation
Mr. Paul cautioned that proceedings could reach the High Court, potentially resulting in compensation worth "millions of pounds" for their clients. "If we're unable to resolve them amicably we expect a judge in the High Court to make an order which would involve payment of millions of pounds worth of damages to our clients," he explained.
TUI confirmed it was examining the allegations put forward by Irwin Mitchell, with a spokesperson stating the firm is "not in a position to provide a statement at this stage." The spokesperson noted that TUI does "not yet have access to the full Cape Verde health report, which remains unpublished."
Range of Infections Identified
Irwin Mitchell revealed its clients experienced a range of serious infections including:
- E. coli
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Parasitic conditions such as cryptosporidium
A UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) investigation in February identified 112 reported cases of shigella and 43 of Salmonella since October 2025. These severe infections trigger various gastrointestinal symptoms, including:
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach cramps
- Elevated temperature
Personal Tragedy Highlights Human Cost
Children were amongst those affected by the outbreak, according to Irwin Mitchell, with some as young as six months falling ill. The law firm had initially estimated six fatalities during the outbreak, but has since revised this figure to eight.
Liz Pooley, whose mother Karen Pooley died from sepsis and multi-organ failure after being airlifted from a Cape Verde clinic on October 16, shared her heartbreaking story with the BBC. "No family should go through this, no family should have to FaceTime their mum on a Friday night, and by the following Friday, organise a funeral," she said emotionally.
The daughter of one deceased woman holds TUI directly responsible for her mother's death, adding to the growing pressure on the tour operator to address the health concerns surrounding Cape Verde holidays.
