Beer poisoned with crocodile bile linked to 69 deaths in Mozambique

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last updated 13 January 2015

In Mozambique, health officials say that 69 people have died after drinking poisoned homemade beer during a funeral for a baby.

Pombe is a traditional beer in Mozambique made from millet or corn flour and brewed for about two days, The Guardian reports. The mother of the deceased child made the beer, and is among those who died, officials say. Authorities believe that sometime during the day, the drink was poisoned with crocodile bile, which is greenish-brown and deadly. One health official said it's a very common form of poisoning in the area, and investigators are trying to find out if it was done intentionally or on accident.