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Family Fears Mother Died From Cape Verde Bug on Flight Home
5 Apr
Summary
- Woman died on flight home after suffering gastric illness in Cape Verde.
- Family found diary detailing poor food and lack of water at hotel.
- Her death may be the eighth linked to a sickness bug on the islands.
A British family is raising concerns that a 71-year-old woman's death following a holiday in Cape Verde may be linked to a sickness bug. The retired civil servant from Berkshire experienced a gastric illness just days into her April 2024 trip.
Her family discovered a diary detailing poor conditions at her hotel, including a lack of running water and substandard food. She suffered severe symptoms for three days and noted the issues with a Tui representative.
Her condition worsened, and she suffered a cardiac arrest on her flight back to Gatwick on May 3, 2026, dying shortly before landing. A post-mortem revealed an underlying heart condition, which the gastric illness and dehydration likely exacerbated.
This potential case could bring the total number of deaths linked to Cape Verde sickness bugs since 2022 to eight. Other families have also come forward with similar tragic experiences after staying at the same hotel chain on Tui package holidays.
Official data from September 2022 to March 2025 recorded 766 shigellosis cases among tourists in Cape Verde from 13 European countries, with the UK reporting the highest number of positive tests.
