A food vlogger has tragically died after consuming a highly toxic devil crab while filming a social media video in the Philippines. Emma Amit, aged 51, reportedly ate the poisonous crustaceans for content before collapsing at her seaside home in Palawan province and passing away two days later.
Fatal Video Footage and Illness
Footage from February 4 shows Emma and her friends hunting shellfish and crabs in a mangrove forest near her house in Puerto Princesa town. In the clip, she is seen enjoying a bite of sea snail as she cooks the seafood in a large pot filled with coconut milk. However, Emma fell gravely ill the following day as a potent cocktail of neurotoxins flooded her bloodstream.
Neighbours reported that Emma was convulsing as she was taken to a local health centre. She was later rushed to a hospital when her condition worsened critically, with her lips reportedly turning dark blue while she remained unconscious. Despite medical efforts, the mother was declared dead on February 6.
Official Warnings and Investigation
Officials have since warned seaside residents to refrain from eating seafood they are not familiar with. Laddy Gemang, chief of Luzviminda village, expressed confusion over Emma's death, noting that she and her husband were both experienced fishers.
'This is really saddening because they should have known,' Gemang said. '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.'
Village officers were sent to Emma's home to investigate and reportedly found discarded brightly coloured shells of devil crabs among her rubbish. 'I saw the shells, there were around eight,' Gemang added. 'I don't know if all of them were devil crabs, but they all looked alike.'
Community Impact and Previous Incidents
Gemang urged residents to be vigilant: '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.' Officials are monitoring Emma's friends for similar symptoms.
Emma's friend, Beverly Villanueva, paid 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 also died from eating devil crabs in October last year, highlighting the ongoing danger.
About Devil Crabs
Devil crabs, also known as toxic reef crabs, are a species that live on coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific region. Their shells and flesh contain powerful neurotoxins like tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin, which remain potent even after hours of cooking. These crabs are typically dark reddish-brown or cream with striking patterns of red or brown patches, making them visually distinctive but deadly.
