A food vlogger died after eating highly toxic devil crabs in the Philippines.
Emma Amit, 51, reportedly gorged on the poisonous crustaceans for a social media video before collapsing at her seaside home in Palawan province.
Footage shows Emma and her friends hunting shellfish and crabs in a mangrove forest near her house in the town of Puerto Princesa on February 4.
In the clip, she was seen relishing a bite of sea snail as she cooked the seafood in a large pot filled with coconut milk.
But Emma was said to have fallen gravely ill the next day as the potent cocktail of neurotoxins flooded her bloodstream.
Neighbors said Emma was convulsing as she was taken to a local health center. She was later rushed to a hospital when her health took a critical turn, her lips reportedly turning dark blue as she remained unconscious.
Despite efforts to treat her, the mother was declared dead on Friday, February 6.
Emma posted the video of her eating seafood on February 3. The clip has so far garnered 39,000 views, 148 reactions, 18 comments and 14 shares.
Officials have since warned seaside residents to refrain from eating seafood they are not familiar with.
Laddy Gemang, chief of Luzviminda village, said he was confused by Emma’s death as she and her husband were both experienced fishers.
“This is really saddening because they should have known. She and her husband, they are both fisherfolk. They live by the sea, so I know they know about this devil crab that’s dangerous to eat. So why did she eat it? That is what I’m confused about,” he added.
The official said that village officers were sent to Emma’s home to investigate. They reportedly found the discarded brightly coloued shells of the devil crabs among her rubbish.
“I saw the shells, there were around eight. I don’t know if all of them were devil crabs, but they all looked alike,” Laddy said.
“So to the residents of Puerto Princesa, I am urging you to be doubly vigilant. Do not eat these dangerous devil crabs because they have claimed two lives here in our town. Don’t gamble with your lives,” he added.
Officials said they were monitoring Emma’s friends for similar symptoms.
Emma’s friend, Beverly Villanueva, wrote in an online tribute: “Your sudden passing is so shocking and sudden. You were like an older sister who always told me what food you wanted me to buy. I will miss you always. I know you didn’t want to leave yet because you still had so many plans in life, but why? That’s a question that will never be answered, because you’re gone.”
Local media reported that a 54-year-old fisherman in the coastal province had also perished from eating devil crabs in October last year.
Devil crabs, also known as toxic reef crabs, are a species of crab that live on coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific region.
Their shells and flesh contain the powerful neurotoxins tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin that remain potent even after hours of cooking.
The crabs are typically dark reddish-brown or cream with a striking pattern of red or brown patches.
—Viral Press via Reuters Connect; With Rosette Adel
