by Almost 1,000 British tourists are taking legal action after being struck down with stomach ailments while staying at luxury hotels in Cape Verde. 926 people have come forward in the last three years to say they fell seriously ill after visiting the island during what should have been a dream trip.
Many were left in hospital as a result of their symptoms after their five-star breaks turned into ‘holidays from hell’. Since 2022, hundreds of people have reported falling ill from serious illnesses such as Shigella and Salmonella at seven different hotels across the island.
Among them were a newlywed couple on their honeymoon, a man who was so ill he fell unconscious on the flight home and a beauty therapist who doctors initially feared had suffered a stroke. Cordelia Plummer, 56 from Shard End, Birmingham, and partner Ian Waller, 56 from Kingston-Upon-Hull, are among a new group of tourists to contact lawyers.
Both were stricken with serious gastric illness during a two-week stay at the Riu Cabo Verde hotel in Sal, Cape Verde. The holiday, which took place between July 12-27 this year, was booked through tour operator TUI, and the couple paid almost £3,000 for their all-inclusive break.
Jatinder Paul, a specialist international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, who represents the holidays, said: “The number of clients we continue to see coming forward after being ill during periods is very concerning. in Cape Verde for the past three years. The numbers in question show that these are not isolated incidents.
“As a significant number of people continue to approach us with similar personal accounts, it is clear that there is a worrying picture of ongoing illness that shows no sign of ending. time.
“Gastric illness can lead to long-term health problems or even death, and the fear is that unless something is done to tackle the root causes, it could end in tragedy. We understand that several other people in the hotel fell ill at the time As part of our investigations, we would like to hear from anyone else who was staying at this hotel at the same time.”
Cordelia, a customer service assistant, was taken ill a week into the break with acute gastric symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea. She was mainly confined to her room for four days and was forced to consult her GP on her return to the UK, who initially said her symptoms could be a sign of shigella.
Ian was struck a few days later with the same symptoms, which continued for the rest of the holiday and when he returned to the UK. Ian continues to experience a constant change in his bowel habits.
The couple said they spoke to other guests at the hotel who were experiencing similar symptoms. After returning home, they were shocked to read negative reviews online, with people reporting similar experiences.
The couple claimed to have noticed that food was often served uncovered and was hot. They also alleged that the same dishes seemed to be served more than once and they both saw cockroaches in the restaurant near the desserts.
Cordelia said: “What was a dream fortnight on a wonderful island has now turned into a holiday that Ian and I will do our best to forget. The headache and nausea that followed was the worst sickness and diarrhea I had ever experienced.
“I think everyone has probably had an upset stomach at one time or another, but this was much worse. I was in the room for several days and I have never felt so sick.
“It was bad enough that we sought medical advice and did so again when we were back home. Ian was also very ill but decided to let the illness run its course.
“We were both concerned about the presentation of the food, and some dishes looked like they weren’t fully cooked or that the same dishes from lunch would appear again at dinner. The cockroaches were also disgusting and when we pointed this out once, a member of staff came out, picked it up in a napkin and walked towards the kitchen with it.
“While we were at the hotel, we came across several other guests who also said they were sick with the same symptoms as us. There were three older women we spoke to and also a group of younger girls who said they were also very sick.
“The number of stories we have seen and heard before coming home and returning to the UK is shocking. If we had seen these in advance, we would not have booked the holiday. I think Ian and I and all the other sick people need to know what happened and what is being done to prevent this from happening to others.”
Cordelia and Ian are among a new group of 10 holidaymakers who stayed at the five-star Riu Cabo Verde this summer to guide Irwin Mitchell. Meanwhile, more than 20 people have contacted the firm after staying at the Riu Funana Hotel in 2023.
In 2022, more than 170 holidaymakers came forward to take legal action after falling ill at the same hotel. Hundreds of other tourists have directed the firm after falling ill at other hotels in Cape Verde.
In 2022, a total of 806 people emerged and 65 in 2023 and 55 so far this year. TUI did not respond to requests for comment.
