Family urge travellers to pack carbon monoxide alarm year on from son's death

  • ITV News Meridian's Mike Pearse has been speaking to a family who lost their son last year.

The family of a young man from Camberley, who died from carbon monoxide poisoning on holiday in South America, are urgently appealing to travellers to take alarms with them to prevent more deaths.

Hudson Foley, 24, had been renting holiday accommodation directly from a family in Ecuador, when he was found dead in the bathroom.

Authorities later confirmed he had died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

This week marks the first anniversary of Hudson’s death, with his family now encouraging others to take an alarm with them as part of a Pack Safe Appeal in their son's memory.

Hudson's mum, Cathy Foley said: "Hudson had been travelling for three months and while we had heard from him on a regular basis that made it seem unreal.

"Even now coming up to the first anniversary, I still can’t believe he is no longer with us. He was taken so quickly.”

Hudson's dad, Paul Foley said: "It has been a difficult year, probably more so because everything is a first - his birthday, Christmas and all those type of things. The one saving grace, for me, is we did so much together.”

A carbon monoxide alarm can cost around £20, something Hudson's family say is a small price to pay to save a life. Credit: ITV News Meridian

Carbon monoxide poisoning is typically caused by a faulty boiler, cooker or heater giving off a deadly gas, which you can’t see or smell.

Approximately 30,000 people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to The Lancet.

Mrs Foley continued: "It is not something people think about automatically. It certainly was not on my radar and not on Hudson's. It is absolutely important, completely."

  • Hudson's family urge people to pack a carbon monoxide detector

Katherine Atkinson, the Chief Executive of Safer Tourism Foundation, said: "The travel industry has done a lot. It doesn’t mean the world is safe.

"That’s why the campaign is about making sure travellers are equipped with the knowledge of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, and people should take an alarm with them."

Danny Callaghan, CEO of the Latin American Travel Association, said: "We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Hudson, whilst backpacking in Ecuador and wholeheartedly support the campaign to encourage travellers to pack a carbon monoxide alarm, wherever in the world they are travelling.

"LATA’s Safety Scheme was set up with the aim of improving safety standards across Latin America and as part of our affiliation with the Safer Tourism Foundation, we are communicating the importance of carbon monoxide safety to our membership."

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