Three members of a family — two children, ages 6 and 3, and their mother — died after falling ill following a meal at a popular Ortakoy waterside restaurant in Istanbul. The father remains in intensive care and authorities have launched a criminal and health investigation, taking food samples and detaining four people. Reports vary about what the family ate, mentioning mussels with rice, kumpir, kokorec and Turkish Delight, and the victims were reported to be Turkish nationals living in Germany on holiday. Officials caution that laboratory tests are needed to confirm a cause.
Suspected Street-Food Poisoning in Istanbul: Mother and Two Children Dead, Father Critical
Three members of a family — two children, ages 6 and 3, and their mother — died after falling ill following a meal at a popular Ortakoy waterside restaurant in Istanbul. The father remains in intensive care and authorities have launched a criminal and health investigation, taking food samples and detaining four people. Reports vary about what the family ate, mentioning mussels with rice, kumpir, kokorec and Turkish Delight, and the victims were reported to be Turkish nationals living in Germany on holiday. Officials caution that laboratory tests are needed to confirm a cause.
09:15 PM, 11/14/2025Health
Three family members die after suspected food poisoning in Ortakoy
Three members of a family died and the father remained in critical condition after the group fell ill following a meal at a popular waterside eatery in Ortakoy, Istanbul, Turkish officials and media reported.
The family reportedly became unwell on Wednesday after eating several well-known street-food items at a restaurant by the Bosphorus bridge. They had been staying in the Fatih district and were rushed to hospital shortly after falling ill.
According to Istanbul's regional health chief Abdullah Emre Guner, the two children, aged 6 and 3, died after being admitted. Both parents were taken into intensive care; Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc later wrote that the mother died the following day. Authorities described the incident as suspected food poisoning and said an investigation is underway.
Officials said samples were taken from the places where the family is believed to have eaten, and four people have been detained as part of the inquiry. Guner said the provincial health directorate opened the investigation.
Reports differ on what the family ate. Some media accounts mention mussels with rice and kumpir (stuffed baked potato), while others cite kokorec (grilled lamb intestines) and Turkish Delight. Local reporting identified the victims as a Turkish family living in Germany who were visiting Istanbul on holiday.
Context and public-health concerns
Authorities have not yet confirmed a specific cause. Foodborne illness investigations can take days to identify pathogens and determine whether contamination occurred at the vendor, during preparation, or earlier in the supply chain.
Foodborne disease is a global public-health concern. For context, U.S. federal researchers estimate that foodborne illness causes hundreds of deaths and tens of millions of illnesses annually, though official counts often understate the true burden because many cases go undiagnosed or unreported. Last year in the United States, a listeria outbreak linked to recalled deli meat was associated with multiple deaths and dozens of illnesses.
Local officials say they will release further findings as laboratory results and the criminal investigation progress.