More than 800 UK holidaymakers have launched High Court legal action against TUI after being struck down with severe illnesses at luxury hotels in Cape Verde.

Hundreds of tourists were left hospitalised as a result of gastric illnesses after their dream trips to the sunshine island turned into ‘holidays from hell’.

Adults and children – one as young as six-months-old – fell seriously ill while staying at eight different four or five star resorts across the African country.

They contracted serious conditions including E.coli, salmonella and shigella between 2022-2025 and some still suffer “debilitating symptoms” to this day.

Lawyers representing a total of 836 people have now served proceedings against TUI claiming the tour operator failed to protect them from multiple hygiene failures.

The alleged breaches in duty by TUI include allowing food to be undercooked, served at an incorrect temperature and reused in later meals.

Holidaymakers also reported seeing birds, ants and flies around food preparation and buffet areas and being served meat that was raw.

One woman told how she lost more than four stone while staying at the five-star Riu Palace Santa Maria resort between May 10-25, 2022

Nicky Morley, a 54-year-old author from Paignton, Devon, paid over £2,000 for the holiday with her partner

Nicky believes she was served raw pork at the hotel’s poolside barbecue restaurant just one day into the holiday.

Later that day she began suffering with diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain and ended up at a hospital in Cape Verde, where she was administered intravenous fluids and medication.

Following her discharge, Nicky returned to the resort. She was advised to eat plain food and ordered grilled chicken – but again it appeared raw.

Nicky said the flight home was “extremely uncomfortable” and on her return to the UK, she contacted a GP who prescribed antibiotics.

However, since returning from the holiday, Nicky continues to suffer with diarrhoea, urgency, pain and nausea.

She has lost more than four stone and continues to eat a very limited diet almost three years later.

Nicky said: “Not for one minute did I ever expect to fall ill like I did.”

“It’s just not something you expect to pick up in a five-star hotel, but the fact that I was served raw food on more than one occasion makes me suspect many others would have also been sick.”

“The hygiene at the resort was also pretty questionable, with flies and birds seen around the food area.”

“The chefs I saw weren’t wearing gloves or hairnets either, which I would have thought would have been basic health and safety.”

“Since the holiday, I’ve struggled to socialise or eat out with friends as I’m anxious about my bowel issues. My whole life has been affected.”

Kelly Barrett also asked lawyers to investigate after her young children fell ill while staying at Hotel Riu Funana in Sal.

The family, from Whitland, Carmarthenshire, Wales, paid over £5,000 for the 14-night holiday between November 22 and December 6, 2022.

A few days into the holiday siblings Rowan and Dennie, now aged four and three, fell ill with gastric symptoms including stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Kelly, 37, sought medical advice in resort. However, Rowan was admitted to hospital overnight before being discharged, followed by Dennie.

However, the pair’s symptoms continued to deteriorate and the family were airlifted to hospital in Tenerife so the children could receive expert medical treatment.

More than two years on the siblings continue to be affected by their illness, including an altered bowel habit, while Rowan has also developed a fear of doctors.

The family’s concerns included ants in the buffet restaurant as well as staff not monitoring or cleaning the swimming pool, the water of which they said did not smell of chlorine.

Kelly, a homemaker, said: “For weeks we’d researched where to go and looked at various options.”

“We chose the resort as it looked like everything we wanted. We made sacrifices and saved hard for months to enjoy what we thought would be a special family holiday.”

“However, the enthusiasm and excitement we had about our holiday quickly vanished.”

“Seeing the children so poorly was absolutely awful. As a parent all we wanted to do was help and care for Rowan and Dennie, but we felt so powerless.”

“Even after they got to hospital nothing changed. Getting airlifted just showed how serious it was, but it was such a relief getting off the island and Rowan and Dennie getting the help they needed.”

“More than two years on the children still aren’t right and suffer with symptoms. The scary thing is we don’t know how long they may be affected.”

“The holiday went from what we hoped would be a dream trip to a disaster. What’s even more concerning is that we appear not to be alone.”

“I wish we’d never have booked the holiday, but I know I can’t turn the clock back.”

“However, we deserve answers and because of TUI’s stance have been left with no choice but to get those in court.”

In total, Irwin Mitchell said it has been instructed by more than 1,400 people who have being struck down by illness connected to Cape Verde between 2022 and 2025.

Jatinder Paul, the specialist international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the 836 tourists, said: “The number of people to have fallen seriously ill in Cape Verde over the past three years is truly staggering.”

“Following investigations we’ve now issued proceedings in the High Court in several hundred cases and this number will continue to increase in the coming months if TUI refuse to engage with us.”

“The effects of gastric illness can be very serious and should never be downplayed.”

“As many of our cases demonstrate, they can result in life-changing complications and in some cases, even death.”

“Nearly three years on, many of our clients for whom we’ve issued legal proceedings on behalf of continue to suffer from debilitating symptoms linked to their illness.”

“While it’s too late for those we represent in terms of their holiday being ruined by such illness, we’re determined to provide them with the answers they deserve and where appropriate access to ongoing support and treatment they may require.”

“Despite the seriousness of these cases, it is regrettable that TUI have failed to resolve these claims amicably.”

“We call on TUI to work with us to resolve these cases as quickly as possible so that our clients can try and start to put the past behind them.”

The law firm said TUI has either expressly denied liability, or failed to reply, on all of the 836 cases.

The hotels and the numbers of people being represent in the High Court are: Riu Palace Boavista – 57 holidaymakersRiu Palace Santa Maria – 300 holidaymakersRiu Funana 183 holidaymakersRiu Cabo Verde: 105 holidaymakersRiu Touareg: 25 holidaymakersMelia Dunas 70 holidaymakersSol Dunas, now called TUI Suneo Dunas 64 holidaymakersTUI Blue Cabo Verde 32 holidaymakers

TUI has failed to respond to requests for comment.