Suspected food poisoning kills mom, 2 kids at popular tourist site

Two children and their parent person died, with the begetter near warring for his life, aft eating thoroughfare nutrient astatine a fashionable Istanbul tourer site, Turkish officials and media said Friday.

The household reportedly fell sick connected Wednesday aft eating respective fashionable thoroughfare nutrient dishes astatine a edifice successful the waterside vicinity of Ortakoy, astatine the ft of a span spanning the Bosphorus.

The family, who were staying successful the Fatih district, fell sick soon aft and were rushed to hospital, but the 2 children, aged six and three, died, Istanbul's determination wellness main Abdullah Emre Guner said connected X connected Thursday.

The parent and begetter were being treated successful intensive attraction and an probe had been opened, helium said.

The parent died a abbreviated clip later, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc wrote connected X connected Friday.

"Samples person been taken from the places wherever the household is known to person eaten and 4 people.. person been taken into custody," the curate wrote.

Guner said an probe has been initiated by the provincial wellness directorate.

Some media reports said the household had eaten mussels with rice, a fashionable snack often sold by thoroughfare vendors, arsenic good arsenic "kumpir" — stuffed overgarment potatoes.

Visitors devour the fashionable Turkish stuffed baked murphy crockery known arsenic "Kumpir" astatine a waterfront quadrate successful Ortakoy, Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, May 23, 2025. Emrah Gurel / AP

Other reports said they had eaten kokorec, a fashionable crockery of grilled lamb entrails, and besides mentioned Turkish Delight, saying the household was a Turkish household surviving successful Germany who had travel to Istanbul connected holiday.

The incidental successful Turkey comes astir 5 months aft 2 butcher shops successful bluish France temporarily closed after a miss died from terrible nutrient poisoning.

Foodborne unwellness kills much than 900 Americans a twelvemonth and sickens tens of millions annually, national researchers said successful a report released earlier this year.  The existent fig of radical who get sick from eating nutrient is chartless and apt acold higher than authoritative tallies, arsenic lone a tiny percent of illnesses related to contaminated nutrient is diagnosed and reported to nationalist wellness officials. 

Last twelvemonth successful the U.S., a listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boar's Head deli nutrient led to the deaths of astatine slightest 10 radical and sickened dozens more.

• Turkey