Widow compelled to bury husband in unmarked grave as extra Brits die on vacation
A British widow was forced to bury her husband in an unmarked Cape Verde grave after he died just days into their holiday
Jacqueline Timson has spoken out about the devastating loss of her husband Colin
A heartbroken British widow has revealed how she had to bury her husband in an unmarked grave in Cape Verde after he became one of a growing number of tourists to die after falling ill in the holiday hotspot.
Jacqueline Timson, 69, has spoken out for the first time about the devastating loss of her husband Colin, 74, who died just days into their £2,000 two-week TUI getaway.
The couple, from Heighington, near Lincoln, were staying at the Riu Funana resort on the island of Sal when tragedy struck. On the second day of their holiday, Jacqueline claimed retired forklift driver Colin began suffering from severe sickness and diarrhoea.
The following morning, Jacqueline returned from breakfast to find her husband had collapsed. He was rushed to a clinic and then to a hospital, but tragically died on the evening of July 8, 2024.
A death certificate from the Cape Verde authorities reportedly confirmed Colin’s cause of death was dehydration, severe anaemia and septic shock caused by acute gastroenteritis and digestive bleeding.
Jacqueline, who also fell ill with diarrhoea and stomach cramps, said she was left stranded and faced a horrifying dilemma.
Believing she did not have adequate travel insurance to fly Colin’s body home, and with no option for cremation on the island, she had to watch him be buried in Cape Verde just three days later.
Recalling the conditions at the resort, retired factory worker Jacqueline said: “Some of the food appeared to be undercooked and was lukewarm.
“The toilets round the pool were full of dead cockroaches and we didn’t go in the pool because the water looked yellow. We both fell ill at the same time, but I wasn’t as bad as Colin, who was vomiting yellow sick.”
A TUI spokesperson claimed reports of vomiting and diarrhoea were not made to TUI at the time, but added: “We are not in a position to comment on medical causation.”
Paying tribute to her partner, Jacqueline added: “Colin was a wonderful husband. He was a kind and gentle man and didn’t deserve to die in the way he did. I still can’t comprehend how we went on holiday together, but Colin never came home.
“The hardest thing is that I couldn’t even bring his ashes home to be alongside me. Instead, he’s buried in an unmarked grave, alone, thousands of miles away from his family.”
In a separate incident, another British family has been left devastated after Scottish tourist Laurence Brownlie, 67, collapsed and died at dinner during a two-week stay at the five-star Meliá Llana Beach Resort and Spa.
Known as Laurie, the retired IT engineer from West Lothian is said to have become unwell on June 5, 2024, and spent days confined to his room. On June 8, he went down to dinner, told his wife Glenna, 66, he felt unwell, and collapsed.
Flight crew dining nearby attempted CPR for 20 minutes but could not revive him. He was found to have died from a suspected heart attack.
His daughter Erin said: “Our family was left devastated and trying to come to terms with losing him so suddenly in such traumatic circumstances. I can’t imagine how harrowing it must have been for my mum seeing her soulmate pass away in front of her.”
The family have now raised concerns over conditions at the resort, including claims of flies in food and a lack of a defibrillator.
The TUI spokesperson said no reports of gastric illness or concerns relating to the resort were raised with TUI before or after the incident.
Specialist international injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have now been instructed by both families.
The law firm claimed it had been contacted by around 600 people in the last four months regarding serious bacterial illnesses – such as salmonella, E. Coli and shigella – linked to Cape Verde all-inclusive trips.
The company also said it had represented more than 2,500 people since summer 2022, including the loved ones of ten people who died following reports of gastric illness.
Jatinder Paul, a specialist lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the families, said: “Nothing brings the impact of these incidents into sharper focus than the deaths of British holidaymakers.
“The first-hand accounts from those who have lost loved ones are not only incredibly stark but harrowing.”
A TUI spokesperson said: “We are aware of both incidents. However, neither customer, nor their families, raised concerns with TUI regarding their hotel or holiday during their stay or following their return to the UK.
“Most importantly, our thoughts remain with the families affected. TUI provided support in both cases, including assistance to family members and those directly impacted by the incidents in resort.”
They added: “Any claim received by TUI will be considered and addressed through the appropriate legal process, and it would be inappropriate for us to speculate on matters of causation or liability outside that process.
“As these matters now involve legal representatives, and any claim will be dealt with through the appropriate legal channels, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further on the specifics of either case.”
