'Mum might still be alive without Tui errors'

An inquest into the death of Karen Pooley, a 64-year-old mother from Gloucestershire, heard testimony on Tuesday in Gloucester detailing how the holidaymaker died from a severe bacterial infection after falling ill at the Riu Palace Santa Maria resort in Cape Verde in May 2022. The family alleges that gross negligence and administrative errors by the travel operator Tui, combined with inadequate local medical care, directly contributed to her tragic passing. The trip, which was intended to be a celebratory family vacation, turned into a nightmare when Pooley contracted a gastric illness that rapidly deteriorated into fatal sepsis. During the proceedings, the family’s legal representatives and relatives highlighted a series of systemic failures regarding the emergency response. They claim that Pooley was initially misdiagnosed with minor dehydration despite showing clear signs of a serious infection. Furthermore, the family expressed outrage over communication breakdowns, alleging that Tui failed to provide adequate support or facilitate an urgent medical evacuation that might have saved her life. This case has reignited concerns regarding the safety standards and medical protocols at high-end international resorts managed by major UK travel firms. Evidence presented at the inquest suggested that the resort had been the subject of previous complaints regarding hygiene and food safety, though Tui has maintained that they adhere to strict health regulations. The grieving family remains steadfast in their belief that had the travel operator acted with more urgency and transparency, Pooley would have received the life-saving treatment required in the UK or a more advanced local facility. The coroner’s investigation is currently focusing on the timeline of events between her first symptoms and her death to determine if clinical negligence played a decisive role.