British passengers struck down by severe illness on P&O Azura cruise instruct lawyers

A group of British holidaymakers struck down by illness on a Mediterranean cruise have instructed lawyers to investigate.

A group of 12 Brits out of a party of 16 fell ill with gastric symptoms while onboard the P&O Azura. They had departed from Malta on 28 May and were travelling around Greek islands until 4 June this summer to celebrate a friend’s 60th birthday. They had paid up to £3,000 for the eight-night voyage.

Several passengers have reported that they continue to be affected by symptoms.

Several members of the group have now instructed specialist international serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the circumstances surrounding their illnesses. They told their legal team that there was an "overpowering sewage smell" near the ship’s Manhattan Bar and hygiene issues they say they saw in the buffet restaurants.

Jatinder Paul, the expert international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the affected passengers, said: 

"Cruise holidays should provide passengers with an opportunity to relax and enjoy their time away. However, they also involve large numbers of passengers sharing restaurants, bars and other facilities in confined space so robust hygiene measures are vital in helping to prevent illnesses from spreading.

 

“What’s particularly concerning for our clients is that so many from the same party became unwell, with several still having their lives affected by symptoms.

 

"Our clients understandably have questions about their illnesses and whether more should have been done to protect them. Nothing will make up for what they’ve been through, but we’re determined to provide them with the answers they deserve.

 

“If during the course of our investigations hygiene issues are identified, it’s vital lessons are learned to better protect other passengers in the future.”

Bolton woman reveals impact of P&O Azura illness

Julie Stones, 53, of Bolton, first became unwell on 2 June and developed a sore throat and diarrhoea.

Over the following days, Julie’s condition deteriorated significantly. She suffered vomiting, severe stomach pain, fever, headaches, dizziness, loss of appetite, fatigue, a severe cough, back pain and pain in both legs.

Julie, who has fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and the autoimmune system condition Sjögren's syndrome, as well as other underlying health conditions, uses a powered wheelchair.

After returning to the UK, Julie attended A&E and was diagnosed with a chest infection.

She later sought emergency GP treatment after continuing to suffer vomiting, diarrhoea, back and leg pain, with doctors noting mild crackling in her left lung and recommending further investigations.

Julie returned to her GP on 16 June with fatigue, a persistent cough, headaches, dizziness and ongoing bowel symptoms.

She later had a chest X-ray before attending A&E again after developing blood in her urine, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, headaches, dizziness and a rash. She was prescribed further antibiotics and, at a GP check-up on 25 June, was told she continued to have a kidney infection.

Julie said she continued to suffer from persistent headaches, bowel problems and lower back pain for a month after returning home. She is still affected by leg pain, fatigue and dizziness.

Julie said she was largely confined to her bed in the weeks following her return home and required support from her husband, Gregory Stones, 54, and daughter, Olivia Stones, 24.

Julie said: "This holiday was supposed to be a special celebration with friends and something I'd been looking forward to for months.

"Instead, it turned into a complete nightmare. It felt as though one thing after another kept going wrong and, as the holiday went on, I just got worse and worse.

"One thing that really stood out was the overpowering sewage smell near the Manhattan Bar. It was so noticeable that other passengers were commenting on it.

"I also had concerns about hygiene in the buffet areas. I remember seeing food left uncovered with flies around it and people entering the restaurant without sanitising their hands.

"Even after returning home, the symptoms didn't go away. I've needed hospital treatment, GP appointments and medication, but I'm still not back to normal.

"More than two months later, I'm still dealing with fatigue and headaches. I just want to understand what happened."

Bury woman hospitalised after developing breathing difficulties following P&O Azura cruise

Linda Chapman, of Bury, had booked the cruise with her friends to celebrate her 60th birthday.

The mum-of-four and grandma-of-four first began experiencing symptoms on the final evening of the cruise on 3 June.

She experienced chills and shivering and struggling to eat due to a loss of appetite. She returned to her cabin early and went to bed.

In the early hours of the following morning, Linda awoke feeling extremely nauseous and vomited.

While travelling home later that day, her condition deteriorated significantly. During the journey to the airport and throughout the flight, she developed breathlessness, wheezing, a sore throat and a persistent cough. She felt very unwell on the plane, with fellow passengers expressing concern about her condition.

Following her arrival in Manchester, Linda's symptoms continued to worsen. She also experienced other symptoms including a high temperature, headaches, extreme lethargy as well as sickness and diarrhoea.

Linda contacted NHS 111 and was taken to A&E. Following tests, she was prescribed a course of antibiotics before being discharged home.

Due to the severity of her symptoms, Linda was absent from work for two weeks.

Linda, a housekeeper on an NHS stroke ward, said: “I remember being on the plane. The flight was only a few hours, but it felt like forever. People kept asking if I was okay and I must have looked as awful as I felt. I just kept telling myself that I’d be home soon and could finally go to bed. What I didn’t realise was that I’d end up spending weeks like that.

“In my view, hygiene onboard wasn’t up to scratch and the food often didn’t seem fresh at all, despite the cruise being very expensive.

“What did surprise me was just how ill I became. I was struggling to breathe and, combined with the stomach problems, I just couldn’t work out what was wrong with me. It was a very frightening and disorientating experience.”

Wigan woman says P&O Azura illness ruined holiday

Sharon Robinson, of Wigan, was the first member of Julie and Linda’s group to become unwell on 31 May.

The 51-year-old initially believed she was suffering from a chest infection after developing symptoms including shortness of breath, a persistent cough, a sore throat and loss of voice.

As her illness progressed, she also experienced stomach pain, nausea, diarrhoea, headaches, fever-like symptoms, fatigue and lethargy.

Despite feeling unwell, Sharon tried to take part in the group's planned activities but felt drained and exhausted for the remainder of the cruise.

More than a week after returning home, Sharon continued to experience abnormal bowel movements, a persistent cough and breathlessness.

Sharon said: “I’m unbelievably disappointed.

“Even though I felt awful, I kept trying to take part in as much as I could because I’d been looking forward to this cruise for a year.

“I was the first in our group to become ill, but after the first few days it felt as though everyone was dropping like flies.

“One thing that’s burned into my memory is the strong sewage smell onboard. It still makes me feel sick when I think about it.

“So many people in our group became unwell that it’s difficult not to have concerns about what caused it.

“I still feel very sad about the whole experience and I’m still suffering because of it.”