French Authorities Suspect Truck Driver First Human Fatality From Toxic Seaweed Fumes In Brittany

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French investigators are examining whether a lorry driver has become the first victim of a toxic seaweed that is clogging parts of the Brittany coast.

The driver died in July after carrying three truckloads of sea lettuce away from the beaches where it has been decaying, releasing poisonous gas. His death was originally recorded as a heart attack but prosecutors want to know if it was linked to the seaweed.

France's PM warned of the health risk while visiting the beaches last month. Francois Fillon announced that the government would pay for cleaning up the beaches polluted by the sea lettuce, Ulva lactuca.

Locals had raised the alarm after a horse, being ridden over the sands, collapsed and died. Its rider fell unconscious and had to be dragged off the algae-coated beach.

EDIT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8242649.stm