A British woman described being forced to bury her husband in an unmarked grave in Cape Verde after he fell ill and died during their holiday. The incident, which occurred in July 2024, is one of at least ten reported deaths of Britons on all-inclusive trips to the African island nation since 2023.
Colin Timson, 74, a retired forklift driver from Heighington, near Lincoln, was on holiday with his wife, Jacqueline, 69, when he began experiencing sickness and diarrhea. The following morning, Ms. Timson found him collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital but died the same evening. Cape Verdean authorities attributed his death to acute gastroenteritis, digestive bleeding, dehydration, severe anemia, and septic shock.
Ms. Timson, who also fell ill with stomach cramps, stated she was told that cremation was not an option in Cape Verde. Believing her travel insurance would not cover the costs of repatriating her husband's body, she proceeded with a burial in an unmarked grave just three days after his death. "I couldn't even bring his ashes home," she said. "Instead, he's buried in an unmarked grave, alone, thousands of miles away from his family."
The couple had chosen Cape Verde for their second trip, booking through the travel firm TUI at a cost of £2,000. Ms. Timson noted that their all-inclusive hotel, the Riu Funana, did not appear to be of the expected standard, citing concerns about undercooked and lukewarm food, and unsanitary conditions around the pool area.
Another British tourist, Laurence Brownlie, 67, a retired IT engineer from West Lothian, died in June 2024, a month before the Timsons. Mr. Brownlie was staying at the five-star Melia Llana Beach Resort and Spa with his wife, Glenna, 66. He reportedly collapsed after falling ill a few days prior. Flight crew members attempted CPR but were unable to revive him. A death certificate issued by local authorities listed a suspected heart attack as the cause.
Mr. Brownlie's family reported issues with flies in the food at their hotel and the absence of a defibrillator. His daughter, Erin, 34, expressed the trauma of the situation, stating, "Dad should have been coming home at the end of their holiday. Instead, our family was left trying to come to terms with losing him in such traumatic circumstances."
More than 2,500 individuals who have visited Cape Verde since 2022 are currently involved in legal action against TUI, alleging illnesses such as salmonella, E. coli, and shigella. Approximately 600 of these cases have emerged in the past four months. Jatinder Paul, from the law firm Irwin Mitchell representing the affected parties, described the accounts as "harrowing."
Other British holidaymakers who have died in Cape Verde since 2023 include Elena Walsh, 64, from Birmingham; Jane Pressley, 62, from Gainsborough; Mark Ashley, 55, from Houghton Regis; and Karen Pooley, 64, from Lydney, who also stayed at the Riu Funana resort.
Under UK law, package holiday providers are legally responsible for the standards of all services, including food, hygiene, and accommodation, even when provided by third-party hotels abroad.
A TUI spokesperson stated that the company's thoughts are with the affected families and that support was provided in both the Timson and Brownlie cases. The company noted that its records did not indicate reports of diarrhea and vomiting being made at the time of the incidents and that it was only made aware of the legal claims from the Timson and Brownlie families on the day prior to the report. TUI added that it would be inappropriate to comment further on the specifics of these cases for legal reasons.