My son became seriously ill during a TUI holiday – we are suing him with 36 families
A mother has told how she is suing TUI after her son became seriously ill during their holiday at a five-star Egyptian resort.
Lawyers say her son and 35 other people's holidays were ruined by stomach complaints during their stay at the Jaz Aquamarine hotel in Hurghada between January and October 2019.
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Four holidaymakers were hospitalized, while eight people had Salmonella, one had the stomach flu Giardiasis and another had E.Coli and Shigella.
The holidaymakers, who all booked their outings through TUI, have initiated legal action against the tour operator.
Michelle Crowther, 43, and her two children Molly, 13, and George, 10, from Croydon, south London, all fell ill shortly after arriving.
They all suffered from abdominal cramps, nausea, diarrhea, sweating and lethargy, while George required medical attention and IV antibiotics during the holidays.
When they returned home, Michelle had to take a week off work and then her working hours were reduced for five months as she recovered.
Michelle said: “When we arrived our first impressions were good. But beneath the surface, many things were going wrong.
“I remember the buffet food was exposed and sometimes it was lukewarm.
The same utensils were used to handle both raw and cooked foods, and children were often seen touching the food.
“There were even flies nearby. I also remember that our sheets were not changed for eight days.
“Because we got sick so early in our holiday, we couldn't enjoy it.
“It was the worst to see my kids not feeling well, and I'm still not 100 percent.
“All we want now are some answers about how this happened.”
HONEYMOON RUINED
Myfanwy Bunting, 50, and her husband Dean, 49, from Rhoose, South Wales. had traveled to the hotel for their honeymoon in July 2019 with their eight-year-old daughter Edan.
Just three days into their two-week break, Edan and Dean developed horrific symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea and fever, while Myfanwy fell ill the next day.
After returning home to Britain, Edan felt better, but Dean and Myfanwy's symptoms persisted.
Myfanwy, a self-employed property manager, went to her GP and was diagnosed with E.coli and Shigella.
She said: “While we were there we noticed the hotel kept closing the pools for extended periods of time.
“We were also concerned that the food in the restaurants was not being handled properly. We even saw some people picking up food, tasting it and then putting it back.
“After we got sick, we spoke to our representatives and hotel staff, but we felt like they just fobbed us off and tried to tell us it was because we weren't used to the heat or spicy food.
'But we were sure that was not the reason.
“I've never been this bad before, but it was still a huge shock when I found out I had E.coli and a stomach infection too.
'It's not something you have to deal with on your honeymoon.
“Our holiday was ruined and Dean and I still suffer from stomach problems to this day.
“While nothing can make up for what we went through, we just want answers now and to know if anything could have been done differently to prevent it from happening to others.”
'Unbearable Cramps'
Neil Jones, 58, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, fell ill just two days into his holiday in July 2019 and only recovered three weeks later.
Neil, a retired wall and floor tiler, said: 'I remember feeling so unwell and the cramps were unbearable. I'm a grown man and it almost moved me to tears.
“It should have been a nice holiday, but my illness ruined everything.
“When my girlfriend went to the pharmacy abroad, they asked if we were from the Jaz Aqua before she even said what was going on.
'She also heard other holidaymakers talking about getting sick.
“It's clear something was wrong and we all deserve answers.”
Hannah Clifford, the specialist international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing those affected, said: “It is deeply concerning to hear that so many people have been struck by a debilitating illness after staying at the Jaz Aquamarine hotel in Hurghada.
“Our clients were understandably looking forward to their holidays and were devastated when they developed stomach problems.
“These types of diseases can lead to serious long-term conditions and should never be downplayed.
“The families continue to have questions about what they have experienced, but TUI has not contacted us so far.
“While they would prefer not to be in this position, they feel they have no choice but to initiate legal proceedings to help them get the answers they deserve.”
A TUI spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear about these experiences at the Jaz Aquamarine Hotel. As this is now a legal matter, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.
“We would like to reassure customers that we regularly monitor all our hotels for health and safety, including hygiene.”
The Jaz Aquamarine has been contacted for comment.