Turtle meat kills 10 in Indonesia

Published: 5:01PM Thursday June 15, 2006 Source: RNZ

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Ten people have died and another has been hospitalised after consuming turtle meat on a remote island off the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia.

The deaths occurred late last week after residents on Siberut Island ate turtle meat during a wedding party.

Local residents say it is a local Mentawai tradition to consume turtle meat at weddings. The family fell ill with vomiting after eating turtle soup made from a turtle they had captured.

Three children died that day and seven others died in hospital.

A local health official says preliminary findings indicate the fatalities were due to food poisoning after consuming turtle meat.

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