Families of deceased British holidaymakers are pursuing millions in damages from TUI, alleging that the travel operator failed in its duty of care as the death toll linked to luxury Cape Verde resorts continues to climb.
The litigation has broadened to include the case of Karen Pooley, a 64-year-old traveler who died in October. After contracting a gastric infection, Pooley suffered a fall in her room due to a water leak and subsequently died from multi-organ failure and sepsis after being evacuated to Tenerife.
Her daughter, Liz Pooley, has publicly criticized TUI for the circumstances leading to the tragedy. The legal team representing the families argues that package holiday providers are contractually obligated to ensure the safety and well-being of their customers, a standard they claim TUI failed to meet.
“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,” Liz Pooley told the BBC.
While TUI has transported more than one million passengers to the islands since 2022, the volume of reported illnesses has cast a shadow over the destination’s reputation. The travel giant has asserted that it provides necessary care for any customer experiencing health issues on-site.
Lawyers for the claimants allege that gastric illnesses were not isolated incidents but rather the result of ongoing environmental and food safety issues. They intend to prove in court that these infections, ranging from salmonella to parasitic cryptosporidium, were entirely preventable.
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