Salmonella Food Poisoning Abroad

A Worksop couple whose dream cruise was ruined by salmonella have been awarded £12,000.

In May 2004 Christopher Crookes and Michael Scott, from Worksop, Nottinghamshire, travelled on board the MS Star of Luxor Cruise down the River Nile. During the first week of their cruise both fell ill with severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting. On return to the UK Mr Scott was diagnosed with salmonella food poisoning and both Mr Scott and Mr Crookes continue to suffer with related symptoms to this day.

Mr Scott commented: "This holiday was supposed to be a special getaway however the conditions on board the ship were awful. The food was undercooked and crawling with insects."

The couple had booked into a hotel complex for the second week of their holiday but were horrified to discover that half of the complex had burnt down eight months earlier.

Only two out of the four complexes at the Paradise Beach Hotel in the Shanzu Beach resort area of Kenya were open for use. Not only that but they described their hotel room was in very poor condition – the shower water was sea water; the toilet was blocked and there was a foul smell of stale urine.

Francesca Sandiford, from the Travel Law team at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors who represented the couple and settled their claims against tour operator The African Safari Club commented: "I am delighted at the outcome of this claim for our clients who suffered awful experiences both on their Nile cruise and in their hotel. Having suffered in this way and having contracted illnesses, they approached us to act for them with their claims for compensation and after a hard fight we have been able to win them the damages that they deserve. Every year we act for people who have been on holiday and who have suffered similar illness. Often these illnesses can have a long term and serious impact on health."

"We only hope by taking legal action like this that we reduce the chances of future outbreaks of illness, as Cruise Line Operators, Hotel owners and Tour Operators realise the consequences of not providing reasonable levels of hygiene."