British family hide in terror as gunfight breaks out in pool as £8k dream holiday ruined

A British family's dream getaway to a luxury resort turned into a living nightmare after they witnessed a man being gunned down just metres from their sun loungers.

Colin Nulty, his wife, and their 14-year-old daughter had spent nearly £8,000 on a two-week TUI package at the Riu Palace in Costa Mujeres, a five-star beachfront resort near . But only days into their holiday last month, the family found themselves cowering behind sunbeds during a dramatic and deadly shootout at the hotel pool.

What began as a relaxing tropical escape quickly spiralled into chaos and fear. Colin, a veteran firefighter with 25 years of experience, recalled a "sketchy" atmosphere around the resort from the outset, with strangers offering guests illegal drugs and vapes.

"They didn't have hotel wristbands," he told . "They were interacting with my daughter, demanding drinks and food, and the staff acted like they knew them."

The horror unfolded one morning while Colin and his wife were lounging poolside. Their daughter was safely in their hotel room when gunfire erupted. "Everyone just dived down straight away," Colin recounted.

"We were hiding behind the sunbeds. My wife was crying, she was terrified. I messaged my daughter and told her to lock the door and hide."

Drawing on his emergency training, Colin rushed toward the scene after the gunfire ceased, only to find a man fatally shot in the head.

"He was obviously dead," Colin said. "Then another man came out of a toilet with a gun, shouting at me to get away. I grabbed my wife and ran."

Hotel guests were later locked in their rooms as authorities searched for two suspected gunmen still at large. A police helicopter circled overhead and room-to-room searches were conducted.

Colin's daughter, alone during the shooting, was "white as a ghost" and trembling with fear when they reunited.

The family later learned the deadly gunfight was the result of an undercover police operation, a fact they claimed the hotel never disclosed to them directly. Instead, they discovered the truth through local news reports.

Despite the trauma, TUI sent reps to support guests and offered the Nultys alternative accommodation at The Princess Hotel.

But, in an astonishing twist, another shootout occurred there just hours before the family's arrival, another gang-related incident involving a kidnapping and fatal shooting.

"It was unbelievable," said Colin. "A second hotel, and another man shot dead right at the entrance. We turned back immediately."

Returning reluctantly to the Riu Palace, the family hoped to salvage what remained of their trip. But during dinner one evening, Colin caught a hotel waiter cornering his teenage daughter and demanding her social media details.

"She looked really scared," he said. "She gave him her TikTok just to get away. While I was talking to her, he was already messaging her."

Furious, Colin confronted the waiter in the restaurant. The man reportedly dismissed the situation, saying, "I live in Mexico. What's the worst that can happen?"

The hotel fired the employee immediately and offered the family a room upgrade and complimentary massages. But Colin said the damage was done. "We didn't feel safe," he said. "We'd seen someone murdered, and now our daughter was being accosted."

The family flew home early, cutting their holiday short by eight days. They have since received a partial refund of £3,000 and compensation related to the incident with their daughter. But Colin said it doesn't come close to what they endured.

"TUI said the events were beyond their control," he said.

"But this was a holiday from hell. We paid thousands for a dream trip, instead, we feared for our lives."

The Riu Palace and TUI have yet to issue a full public statement on the incidents.