HOLIDAY TRAGEDY: Travel company criticised after British woman dies on Benidorm holiday

BENIDORM TRAGEDY: Mrs. O’Hagan was pronounced dead at around 6.30am on February 1. Photo: Shutterstock and Craig Deegan

AFTER 81-year-old Christine O’Hagan suffered a ‘freak accident’ in Benidorm, her son has criticised travel company TUI due to ‘lack of support’ during the days prior to her passing.

According to reports from NottinghamshireLive, Craig Deegan, son of Mrs. O’Hagan, said that she broke her hip and skull after falling from her wheelchair on January 28, the day before they had planned to travel home.

Mrs. O’Hagan was pronounced dead at around 6.30am on February 1.

Her son claimed that the family requested a Spanish-speaking representative from TUI to offer them guidance and assist with communication between the family and the hotel and hospital staff, stating that it would have made a ‘massive difference’.

Mr. Deegan said that they had tried to contact a Spanish TUI customer service line on multiple occasions but were redirected to the English head office as the family’s Spanish was limited.

He said that the only staff that could help were from the English head office but they were told that ‘there were no members of staff available and nobody available to speak Spanish’.

Eoin O’Hagan, Mrs O’Hagan′s husband, who was also on holiday at the time of the tragic event, stayed in the country while she was in hospital as they were both covered by travel insurance.

However, Mrs. O’Hagan’s son returned to Spain on the day of her passing as he had to fly back home after the accident as he did not have travel coverage.

He added that ‘they were all crushed. It was so sudden’ and felt ‘very let down by all concerned’.

According to the local news outlet, the family arranged a funeral for Mrs O’Hagan yesterday (Wednesday) at the Gedling Crematorium.

A TUI UK spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the friends and family of Ms O’Hagan at this very sad time. We are in direct contact with her family to address their concerns and offer our support.”

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