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Several British tourists have tragically lost their lives after contracting severe stomach illnesses while vacationing in Cape Verde, according to legal representatives acting for their families. Four individuals—Mark Ashley, 55, from Bedfordshire; Elena Walsh, 64, from Birmingham; Karen Pooley, 64, from Gloucestershire; and an unnamed 56-year-old man—died last year following bouts of significant gastric sickness during their stays on the islands off the west coast of Africa.
These four are part of a total of six British fatalities linked to holidays in Cape Verde since January 2023. The families of these tourists are pursuing personal injury claims through the law firm Irwin Mitchell, which is also representing over 1,500 other people who have reported illness after visiting the country. Emma Ashley, wife of Mark Ashley, expressed how her family remains in “complete shock” due to his passing.
Further details recount that Mark Ashley fell ill just three days into an October trip, suffering symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and profound fatigue. Despite reporting his illness through the holiday company’s app shortly after the symptoms emerged, his condition worsened upon returning to the UK. He collapsed at home and was admitted to hospital on 12 November, where he was pronounced dead minutes later. Ashley had diabetes, which was controlled by medication, and his death is currently subject to investigation by a coroner.
Other victims’ stories reveal distressing experiences as well. Karen Pooley had traveled to Sal island with a friend for a two-week holiday booked via Tui. She became ill with gastrointestinal symptoms within days and suffered a fall resulting in a fractured femur. After receiving care locally and then being airlifted to Tenerife in the Canary Islands, she died shortly thereafter. Her husband Andy described their grief as “utterly heartbroken,” criticizing the poor communication from both the clinic and the holiday provider. Meanwhile, nurse and mother Elena Walsh passed away in August after falling ill during her stay at a resort on Sal.
Irwin Mitchell has indicated ongoing investigations into these deaths and maintained that the outbreak of severe gastric illnesses striking tourists in Cape Verde has been extensive and unprecedented. They emphasize the unusual scale and repeated nature of these illness outbreaks at the same resorts over an extended period. Tui, the company responsible for providing package holidays to Cape Verde, stated that it is conducting a full investigation but declined further comment as the cases are now in the hands of legal representatives. They noted that since 2022, over a million customers have traveled with them to the islands and added that support is offered to any who report feeling unwell during their trips
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