Dozens dead at funeral after drinking beer possibly contaminated with crocodile bile

At least 69 people have died after drinking poisonous beer at a funeral in Mozambique, health authorities confirmed. The beer was locally brewed and is believed to have been contaminated with crocodile bile during the funeral. A toddler was among those killed.

The toll of the people affected did not stop there. Reportedly, another 49 victims have been admitted to hospital and 146 others have visited the hospital with poisoning symptoms, district health official Alex Albertini said. There is a risk that the death toll might climb, as health authorities admitted they do not have the resources to deal with this kind of situation.



All of the victims are said to have attended the funeral on Saturday, where they drank the locally brewed beer Pombe, according to Albertini. Police investigation has discovered that the beer was likely contaminated with crocodile bile during the funeral. Those who drank the beer in the morning of the funeral day reported no signs of illness, while those drinking it in the afternoon got sick, according to authorities.

The woman, who was in charge of brewing the beer also died from poisoning. All the blood and beer samples are being sent to the capital Maputo for testing as regional offices do not have the right technology. “We don’t have the capacity to test the samples,” provincial health director Carle Mosse said. Am investigation into the incident is ongoing and health officials are helping the affected families by collecting donations of food and other items.