A man died after eating poisonous blowfish as 15 of his sick family members were rushed to hospital yesterday in Kampong Chhnang province’s Cholkiri district.

Hong Sokhouen, Chief of Cholkiri district’s Plhong commune, said yesterday that 35-year-old Sek Seang died on a boat in transit to hospital.

“They ate it together and were happy because they were meeting family, but it poisoned them,” he said.

“We are sorry that a man could not be rescued and died because he was far away from the hospital. He could not endure it.

“He died on the boat and some of his family are being cured in the hospital.”

The family had caught nearly five kilograms of blowfish behind their house, he said.

Sou RinRa Vuthy, director of Kampong Chhnang referral hospital, said yesterday that some family members had been released while others remained in his care with severe poisoning.

“They were poisoned by blowfish. They felt bad, vomited and had difficulty breathing,” he said.