Tui faces scrutiny over E coli-linked death of baby after holiday in Egypt

The travel company Tui is under scrutiny over its safety protocols after a British baby girl died from a gastric illness following a stay at an Egyptian hotel – the same resort where two other children were left critically ill from the same condition months earlier.

Ariella Mann, one, died in January from a kidney condition linked to *E** coli* after falling ill at the five‑star Jaz Makadi Aquaviva hotel in Hurghada on an all‑inclusive two‑week package holiday booked through Tui.

Her death occurred four months after a six-year-old boy was admitted to intensive care, and 18 months after a two-year-old girl was airlifted to hospital in London and placed in an induced coma, both after travelling to the same hotel on a Tui holiday.

All three children were diagnosed with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a rare kidney condition linked to *E** coli* that can cause kidney failure, brain damage and death.

Jade Oakes, 34, Ariella’s mother, said she was “disgusted” they had not been informed about previous *E** coli* cases linked to the hotel before booking.

“If we’d known about the other cases, there’s no way I would have taken my child there,” she said. “From her passing, we were in a right mess because we thought it was our fault, we took her on holiday. But if something had been done earlier, Ariella would still be alive.”

Her father, Lee Mann, 37, added: “You’re going through one of the top travel agents, booking a five-star hotel, and paying £6,000. It’s a lot of money, so you expect it to be top of the game.”

He added that the family spent £2,500 on medical treatment for Ariella in Egypt, and called 111, and then 999, on their return to the UK. “You’re still hating yourself, thinking I shouldn’t have done this. But it’s not as if we just sat back and let it happen. I still blame myself. But it’s them who should be accountable, not us,” he said.

Tui continues to advertise holidays to the Jaz Makadi Aquaviva hotel on its website, as do other tour operators including Thomas Cook and easyJet Holidays.

The Mann family travelled to the hotel on 21 December last year on an all-inclusive package deal and, on the second week of their trip, Ariella developed a fever, diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration. She was treated multiple times at the hotel’s medical clinic, where they were told she probably had severe dehydration.

After arriving back in the UK on 5 January 2026, her condition deteriorated and she was admitted to intensive care and placed into an induced coma, where it was confirmed she had HUS. She died on 10 January, with tests later confirming she had contracted *E** coli*.

Four months earlier, on 30 August 2025, six-year-old Arthur Broughton fell severely ill after travelling to the hotel with his parents, Sharon Turner and Daniel Broughton.

After the family returned home in early September, his condition worsened and he was admitted to intensive care and placed on a ventilator, and diagnosed with HUS linked to *E** coli*. He has been left living with kidney failure, and the impact on his brain meant he had to relearn how to walk and speak again.

A year earlier, in July 2024, Chloe Crook, then aged two, was airlifted to hospital in London and placed in an induced coma after being diagnosed with HUS caused by *E** coli* infection while staying at the same hotel.

She suffered seizures and underwent emergency dialysis, and also developed pneumonia and a blood clot in her neck and arm. Two years later, she continues to be treated by the hospital’s nephrology team.

Chloe’s parents said watching their daughter “become more and more ill filled us with terror”.

“It’s shocking and heartbreaking to hear that after everything that Chloe and other children have gone through it is still happening, families are still being sold these luxury package holidays without any prior knowledge of the history of this hotel,” they said.

“Hearing about the death of Ariella, we were heartbroken, not only for the family but the realisation we were only a small step off that being our reality. We are truly devastated for their loss and appalled this has been able to happen.”

Jatinder Paul, a lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the three families in legal action against Tui, said: “Prior to Ariella’s death, it is clear Tui knew for almost 18 months that holidaymakers, including young children, were returning from this resort with serious illnesses.

“There is a legal responsibility for tour operators to ensure hotels are not causing illness or injury, and I am investigating whether more could have been done to prevent these illnesses. I am interested to know what action was taken by the hotel and the tour operator. Could they have warned holidaymakers?”

Irwin Mitchell secured undisclosed settlements for 125 holidaymakers who suffered serious illnesses after staying at the Jaz Makadi Aquaviva in 2017, with many testing positive for bacterial infections such as salmonella and *E** coli*.

Tui is also facing legal action from holidaymakers who fell ill with stomach bugs while on holiday in Cape Verde, with Irwin Mitchell saying it believes four British people died within four months after travelling there.

Damien Tully, an associate professor at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “Travel-associated GI outbreaks unfortunately are quite common, especially in high-volume tourist settings, because you have large numbers of people sharing food, water systems and communal facilities.”

He said buffet restaurants, which are often found in all-inclusive resorts, can be a “breeding ground for bacteria to multiply”.

“Most people will be fine, and cases are often short-lived,” he said. “While we can always practice our own good hygiene measures, these large resorts and tour operators do have a role in maintaining robust food safety standards, sanitation and putting in place a mechanism for outbreaks to be reported in an efficient manner.”

Tui said that, since 2022, it had taken about 80,000 customers to the hotel, with reported illness levels at approximately 0.3%.

In a statement, Tui UK said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ariella, and our thoughts remain with her parents and family at this incredibly difficult time. We are also very sorry to hear about the serious illnesses experienced by Arthur and Chloe, and the effect this has had on them and their families.

“Reports of illness, particularly involving children, are taken extremely seriously. As soon as we were advised of the illness by Ariella’s family on their return home, we took immediate action by instructing an independent health and safety investigation.”

The holiday company said it continued to monitor any reports of illness, alongside the hotel, local authorities and the UK Health Security Agency, and full cooperation was being given to all relevant investigations. It also said it was not made aware of Arthur’s illness until recently.

“It would not be appropriate to speculate on cause while these processes are ongoing,” it said. “Customers with health concerns during or following their holiday are encouraged to seek medical advice and to contact our customer support team so that assistance can be offered.”