British Tourist Rushed to Hospital After Suspected Pufferfish Bite

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A British tourist sought urgent medical treatment after she was reportedly bitten by a fish while swimming at Kalamaki in Zakynthos, with authorities investigating whether the animal was the invasive silver-cheeked toadfish.

The woman went to a private clinic after sustaining the injury in the water. She reportedly told medical staff that she believed a monkfish had bitten her, and doctors provided first aid for the wound. Greek port authority sources said they would investigate the incident.

Local reports have raised the possibility that the fish was instead a silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), commonly known in Greece as lagokefalos. The invasive pufferfish has spread widely through Greek waters and across the Mediterranean.

The species entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and has established populations across the eastern Mediterranean. Greece recorded its first sightings in 2005, and researchers now report the fish across areas of both the Aegean and Ionian seas.

The fish has powerful, beak-like jaws that can cause serious injuries. In June, the Hellenic Red Cross issued first-aid guidance after a series of concerns about injuries involving the species. It advised people who suffer a bite to wash the wound with clean running water and soap, apply firm pressure with clean gauze or cloth and seek medical attention.

The fish’s bite itself is not toxic, but its flesh and organs contain tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin that can cause severe poisoning and can prove fatal if the fish is eaten. The National Public Health Organization (EODY) has warned against consuming the species and said suspected ingestion requires immediate medical assessment.

The spread of the toadfish has also created major problems for Greek fishermen. Its powerful jaws can tear through fishing nets and other equipment, while the species feeds heavily on marine life. Scientists have linked its expansion to its ability to thrive in warmer Mediterranean waters, while its arrival through the Suez Canal represents a major example of so-called Lessepsian migration.

Greece has already introduced measures to reduce its numbers. A government-backed programme in Crete pays fishermen €5.33 per kilogram for captured silver-cheeked toadfish, with the fish then frozen and destroyed.

Scientists have, however, urged the public to distinguish between the fish’s documented ecological and fisheries impacts and unverified claims about attacks on swimmers.

The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research has confirmed that the species poses genuine risks to marine ecosystems, fisheries and anyone who consumes it, but has also warned against exaggerating reports of attacks.

In June, conservation organisation iSea said there was no documented evidence at that time of the fish deliberately attacking bathers, noting that some reported encounters involved people approaching, touching or feeding the animals.

The Zakynthos incident is now being investigated to establish whether the British tourist was in fact bitten by a silver-cheeked toadfish. If confirmed, it would add to growing concerns about the species’ presence in increasingly popular Greek coastal areas.

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