The widow of a man who died while snorkelling on an all-inclusive Caribbean holiday with Tui has accepted a six-figure settlement from the tour operator days before a High Court trial.
Roy Fawcett, a father-of-two from Swindon, was pulled unresponsive from the sea in the Dominican Republic in 2017 aged just 58.
His wife Sue Fawcett launched a legal case against Tui through which the couple booked the holiday. She believed the couple had also booked the snorkel tour at Paradise Island with Tui, but the tour operator argued the excursion didn’t form part of their package.
An inquest into his death concluded that Roy, a project manager, died from “accidental drowning on a poorly monitored holiday excursion”.
But days before a trial in the High Court Tui agreed an undisclosed six-figure out of court settlement. It denied liability.
“While it’s more than five years since Roy’s death, the hurt and pain is as strong now as it was then,” Mrs Fawcett, 60, said.
“I’d do anything to have Roy back but I know that’s not possible.
“Before signing up to anything I’d urge all holidaymakers to make sure they know who’s organising any trips and what safety measures are in place.
“I can’t turn the clock back but by speaking out I just hope that I can raise awareness of what we’ve been through to potentially help others.”
Roy and Sue had booked a trip to Paradise Island two days before their all-inclusive holiday was to end in October 2017.
The small island known for its clear waters and marine wildlife can only be reached by boat.
While Sue stayed in the shallows, Roy went into deeper waters snorkelling with another group, including tourists but was later spotted face down and not moving.
Members of the party helped get Roy onto the beach, from where he was taken by boat to the mainland and then hospital.
Sue, a support worker, said that she and Roy only booked the trip under the impression it was provided by Tui. The tour operator argued the excursion didn’t form part of their package.
Tui said in a statement: “Our thoughts remain with Mrs Fawcett and her family. As this is a legal matter it would be inappropriate for us to comment any further.”
Sue said: “I lost my husband and best friend who I thought I would grow old with. There’s not a day goes by where I don’t think of Roy and get upset that he’s no longer in our lives.
“We had so many hopes and plans for the future and it’s difficult not to think these were snatched away from us. Birthdays and family occasions are particularly difficult and just not the same without Roy by my side.”
She is warning holidaymakers of the dangers of poorly planned holiday excursions.
Nicola Heathcote, the specialist international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Sue, said: “Excursions can be a great way to enjoy a holiday but as in Roy’s case can end in devastation. Therefore, it’s vital that lessons are learned from what happened to Roy to improve holiday safety for others.
“While nothing can make up for Roy’s death and the hurt and pain Sue has endured, we’re pleased to have secured this settlement. We hope this provides Roy’s family with a sense of closure and allows them to access the specialist support they require to try and come to terms with what happened the best they can.”
In 2021 the Daily Mail reported that Sue had sued Tui for £560,000.
