A tragic incident occurred in Ortaköy — one of Istanbul’s busiest tourist areas — where two young children on vacation with their parents died from severe food poisoning. Their parents remain in intensive care, according to Turkish media and the Ministry of Health.
Istanbul’s Provincial Health Director Abdullah Emre Güner announced on X that the children, aged 6 and 3, could not be saved despite doctors’ best efforts.
“The parents are still in intensive care,” he added, noting that an official investigation has been launched.
What happened?
According to NTV, the family had traveled from Germany, which has a large Turkish diaspora. They were spending their holiday in Turkey.
Local media report that the poisoning may have been caused by mussels and stuffed potatoes purchased from a street vendor in a tourist area.
Shortly after eating the food, all four family members became severely ill and were rushed to hospital showing signs of acute intoxication.
Investigation underway
The Istanbul Health Directorate has started a detailed inquiry into:
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the source of the food products,
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hygiene conditions at the street vendor’s stall,
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storage and preparation practices.
Food poisoning linked to street food is not uncommon in major Turkish tourist cities, but fatal cases are extremely rare.
Investigators are looking into potential sanitary violations and whether unsafe seafood may have been used.