One Russian woman died and her husband is in intensive care unit with multiple organ collapse short after they arrived in Crete together with their minor-aged children. The incident occurred last Sunday and both the death and the illness were considered as “mysterious”. A week later, the mystery is allegedly solved: the couple had eaten poisonous mushrooms while still in Russia and before getting on board of the plane for their summer holidays.
The 41-year-old woman collapsed in the family’s hotel room following a quick visit to hotel restaurant. Arriving paramedics could only confirm her death.
Short time later, her 45-year-old husband collapsed. He has been in intensive care unit of the PAGNI hospital in Herakleio, with multiple organs collapse. His condition is described as “critical” and “irreversible”.
The couple had arrived to the hotel in Hersonissos last Sunday, July 2, where they spend summer vacations for several consecutive years. Local media reported about the incident on Friday. First reports spoke of “mysterious death of Russian tourist.”
Doctors were unable to determine the cause of the husband’s illness.
The woman’s body was to undergo autopsy.
The circumstances for the woman’s death and the man’s illness seemed obscure.
Media suggested that both the wife and the husband were suffering of “pathological problems.”
Greek authorities informed the Russian embassy in Athens about the incident.
The Embassy helped the children, 14 and 3 years old, to fly back to Russia, they are currently in relatives’ care. The woman’s body was also transferred to Russia.
The Russian embassy demanded thorough investigation on the issue.
On Sunday, local media in Crete report that the cause for the woman’s death and the man’s illness were poisonous mushrooms the two had consumed in Russia, before getting on the plane to Greece.
The findings are based on the autopsy report and the children’s testimonies to Russian authorities. The parents had eaten mushrooms but the children did not.
According to professor of toxicology and the head of laboratory of medico-legal researches Aristidis Tsatsakis, the victims have got poisoned with a lethal toxin which has caused poly-organ insufficiency. Sometimes symptoms of poisoning are shown with a delay for two-three days after consumption.
He added that it would be difficult to identify the toxin, though.
The woman’s liver was reportedly totally destroyed.
Tsatsakis told Nea Kriti, that once the damages caused by toxins set in, the situation is irreversible.
The Russian consulate in Athens has no official data on causes of the woman’s death, RIA Novosti reports on Sunday.
The identities of the victims or their professions have not been disclosed.
