Over 1,700 people have now joined the fight against travel company TUI after falling ill while on holiday in the Cape Verde islands, lawyers have revealed. Lawyers from Irwin Mitchell, who are leading the personal injury legal action, have said they have been contacted by people who became ill in the West African island country as recently as two weeks ago.

They believe at least eight Brits have now died after holidaying there in recent years. Jatinder Paul, from Irwin Mitchell solicitors, told BBC Breakfast: “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.” This comes after UK health officials warned British tourists against travelling to the Atlantic archipelago following reports of stomach bugs earlier this year.

“We are pursuing all of our cases against Tui,” Mr Paul told BBC Breakfast. “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.

“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.”

Irwin Mitchell solicitors said its clients had reported contracting gastric illnesses, including E. coli, Salmonella and Shigella, as well as parasitic infections such as Cryptosporidium, which can cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever. Some of those affected were as young as six months old, it reported.

In February, an investigation by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found that since October 2025, there had been 112 reported cases of Shigella and 43 of Salmonella linked to travel to Cape Verde. Lawyers have said they have been gathering evidence of issues at some hotels in the country. Video footage has reportedly shown what appears to be undercooked food, buffets surrounded by flies and mould in rooms.

Since 2022, TUI has taken more than one million holidaymakers to Cape Verde. Previously, the lawyers said six Britons had died after holidays in Cape Verde since January 2023, but they now believe eight people have died.

Karen Pooley, 64, Mark Ashley, 55, and David Smith, 54, whose name has been changed, died of various medical complications – including gastroenteritis, fractured bones and heart failure – sustained while on holiday. They were all staying in a Riu hotel, a Spanish chain with six resorts in Cape Verde, when they first fell ill.

The Express contacted TUI for comment, and a TUI UK & I spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened by the reports of these tragic losses and extend our sincere condolences to the families affected.