British Mum Stranded in Tenerife After Early Birth

A 'babymoon' in Tenerife took a distressing turn for Chantelle Ali, 33, when she went into labour five weeks ahead of her due date. She gave birth to her son, Rico, on July 12th at the Our Lady of Candelaria University Hospital. However, due to the lengthy process of obtaining an emergency travel document for the infant, Chantelle and Rico remain on the Spanish island nearly two weeks later.

Chantelle, originally from Gloucester, has been living out of a carrier bag in temporary accommodation since fleeing their hotel. Her original suitcase is still at the airport. While Rico's initial hospital stay, including intensive care for breathing difficulties, is covered by her insurance, Chantelle is responsible for weekly apartment rent of £400 and other associated expenses. Her partner, Ben Major, returned to the UK to care for their other children and arrange care for their dog before planning his return.

The process to bring Rico home involves extensive paperwork, including passports, birth certificates, and hospital documents. Chantelle expressed that the experience has been emotionally and mentally draining, relying heavily on Google Translate to communicate with hospital staff. Despite the challenges, she remains focused on returning to the UK with her son.