Ocho Rios Jamaica: British tourist, 66, dies on holiday with his wife after slipping on 'air-con puddle' at five-star hotel

A British tourist has died while on holiday with his wife in Ocho Rios in Jamaica after slipping on a puddle in a luxury hotel that was "caused by a leak in an air-con unit". Mark Tweedy slipped in a pool of water at the Couples Sans Souci hotel.

The 66-year-old broke his leg and died from health complications after surgery at the £1,000-a-night Caribbean hotel. His widow, Helen, is suing the travel company for up to £1 million in compensation.

Helen is claiming the puddle was caused by a leak from the air-con unit, however, the travel company, Travelbag, has denied liability over Tweedy’s fall.

At a brief hearing at London’s High Court this week, it was heard that Tweedy had visited the ocean-side hotel with his wife in March 2020 and following a fall in his hotel room, the father of four was left with a break in his left thigh.

He was rushed to the nearby St Ann’s Bay Hospital for surgery a day later to pin his thighbone. However, postoperative complications resulted in Tweedy suffering from heart failure two days after the operation and he died from multi-organ failure a week after the accident.

Katherine Deal KC, representing the widow, said: "She [Mrs Tweedy] alleges that [Travelbag] is liable to her for the consequences of the original accident, which include Dr Tweedy’s death. Travelbag accepts that it owed a duty under the holiday contract that reasonable skill and care would be exercised in the provision of services and facilities. It admits there was an air conditioning unit in the suite.

"It appears to accept that the unit was one of the facilities provided under the holiday contract and that inspecting the unit and cleaning the suite were services provided under the holiday contract – at least, the contrary is not asserted. However, it says that reasonable skill and care was exercised and the unit was adequately inspected and maintained."

A future five-day trial has been planned but no date has yet been fixed.