Hundreds of British holidaymakers who sought sun and relaxation at the five-star Riu Palace Santa Maria Hotel in Cape Verde are now embroiled in a legal battle with travel giant TUI, alleging that their dream vacations turned into nightmares marked by severe gastric illnesses, hospital stays, and, in some tragic cases, death. The High Court in London is set to preside over a six-week trial at the end of 2027, following a pre-trial hearing in February 2026, as around 300 claimants seek more than £5 million in compensation for illnesses they say were contracted during or after their stays at the luxury resort in 2022.
According to legal documents and reporting by The Independent and Express, the group action is being led by law firm Irwin Mitchell and is the first of its kind to reach court regarding a spate of gastric illnesses linked to Cape Verde’s all-inclusive resorts. The claimants allege that improperly prepared food and drink, unsanitary swimming pools, pest infestations, and even stray dogs on the hotel’s private beach contributed to a widespread outbreak that left more than 1,500 tourists sick across the archipelago.
Among the claimants is Nicky Morley, an author from Devon, who became ill just a day into her May 2022 holiday. “Since the holiday, I’ve struggled to socialise or eat out with friends as I’m anxious about my bowel issues,” Morley said in a statement provided to Express. “My whole life has been affected.” Morley’s ordeal included hospitalization in Cape Verde and persistent gastric symptoms that have led to a dramatic weight loss of more than four stone. Her experience, lawyers argue, is not unique among the hundreds of claimants.
The case has also taken on a somber tone, with the widower of Jane Pressley, a 62-year-old Lincolnshire woman, joining the lawsuit after his wife died in January 2023, weeks after falling ill during a holiday at the same resort. Pressley’s illness began two days into her trip and worsened upon her return to the UK, culminating in hospitalisation on Christmas Eve for a suspected bacterial infection. She died a few days later, with her family now seeking answers and accountability from TUI and the hotel operators.
According to The Mirror, the group’s complaints extend beyond food and drink. Claimants have described rooms as “unsanitary, infested with pests such as cockroaches, and/or otherwise not reasonably clean,” with “numerous stray dogs ... present on the hotel’s private beach” and dog mess littering the sand. The resort, a sprawling complex on the island of Sal, boasts six swimming pools, a waterpark, a spa, and several restaurants, all of which were reportedly used exclusively by guests on an all-inclusive basis. This, lawyers argue, makes it highly likely that any illnesses contracted were linked to the hotel itself.
“Each of the claimants became ill with symptoms of gastric illness either during their stay at the hotel or shortly after their departure from the hotel,” the legal documents state. “Each claimant claims damages for personal injury in respect of that illness, which each claimant will say was contracted at the hotel.”
The scale of the outbreak is striking. Infections reportedly increased through the summer of 2022, peaking in October when 110 people became ill with gastric problems in a single month. Overall, more than 1,500 tourists are believed to have suffered from stomach bugs after booking holidays in Cape Verde, with six British tourists dying between January 2023 and November 2025, according to reports from Express and The Mirror. The deceased include individuals aged between 54 and 64, such as Karen Pooley from Gloucestershire and Mark Ashley from Bedfordshire, all of whom had stayed at Riu hotels operated by the Spanish chain in Cape Verde.
Jatinder Paul, an international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, emphasized the gravity of the claims, telling The Mirror: “For several years, we’ve had numerous holidaymakers instructing us to investigate serious illnesses linked to stays in Cape Verde. This is the first group action to go before the courts and therefore a major milestone in our clients’ quest for answers. Those holidaymakers in this group action suffered serious and debilitating illnesses. The impact of serious gastric illnesses should never be downplayed. They can lead to long-term health complications, and in some cases, can even prove fatal.”
Medical complications reported by claimants include not only gastric symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, but also chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory problems, and, in at least one case, a stroke. Many victims required hospital treatment either abroad or after returning to the UK. Children as young as six months old were among those affected, and infections included E. coli, salmonella, shigella, and parasitic illnesses such as cryptosporidium.
The legal proceedings will focus initially on 30 lead cases, as determined by Judge Master Mark Gidden, whose decisions will set the tone for the remaining claims. Barrister Stephen Cottrell, representing the holidaymakers, explained that these cases would provide evidence about “what they ate, what they drank and what the swimming pool was like.”
TUI, for its part, is denying liability. The company maintains that it is not responsible for the illnesses suffered by its guests, a position that will be tested during the upcoming trial. The case has drawn attention not only for its scale and the severity of the alleged illnesses but also for the broader implications for the travel industry and the responsibilities of tour operators in ensuring guest safety.
In response to the ongoing outbreak and legal action, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a travel warning on February 2, 2026. Since October 1, 2025, the agency has identified 118 cases of shigella and 43 of salmonella linked to trips to Cape Verde. Dr. Gauri Godbole, deputy director for gastrointestinal infections and food safety at UKHSA, advised travelers: “The best way to avoid gastrointestinal infections, including shigella and salmonella, or passing them to others, is simply by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol gel – particularly after using the toilet, changing nappies, and before eating or preparing food.”
Travelers to Cape Verde are now urged to take extra precautions: eat only freshly prepared and fully cooked food served piping hot, drink bottled or boiled water, avoid ice in drinks, peel fruit themselves, and steer clear of salads that may not have been washed in clean water. The Foreign Office has echoed these warnings, advising British holidaymakers to remain vigilant and prioritize food and water safety while abroad.
As the legal process unfolds, the case stands as a stark reminder of the potential risks of international travel, the complexities of ensuring safety at luxury resorts, and the far-reaching consequences when things go wrong. For the hundreds of claimants, the upcoming trial represents not just a quest for compensation, but a search for answers and accountability from one of the world’s largest travel companies.