Russian tourist dies, six other hospitalized in Turkey

A female Russian tourist in the popular Turkish Aegean resort of Bodrum has died and six other Russians have been hospitalized in critical condition as a result of alcohol poisoning, a representative of the Russian Consulate in Antalya said on Monday.

Insurance companies have informed the consulate over the weekend that several Russians in Bodrum were suffering from nausea and vomiting, the consulate official said. Some of the tourists were reported to have been losing consciousness.

Doctors established that the sick tourists had alcohol poisoning, the official said. Tourists began registering symptoms of poisoning soon after returning from a yacht tour organized for a group of more than 70 Russians.

The condition of seven tourists who were hospitalized has worsened over the past 24 hours, the official said. One of them, Maria Shalyapina, born in 1983, died on Monday as doctors were unable to stabilize her condition, the official said.

Russian diplomats are closely watching the situation, he added.

Dmitry Pakhomov, Shalyapina’s husband, said the tragedy happened during a promo tour organized by Russian tourist company Mostravel. A total of 19 people have reported poisoning symptoms, he said.