A 22-year-old man from Koropi tragically died after attempting to swallow an entire burger without chewing, a risky act that left him without oxygen for more than three minutes.

The young man had been hospitalized for a week in the intensive care unit at G. Gennimatas Hospital, where doctors tried to stabilize him after the choking incident caused severe complications affecting his brain, kidneys, and other organs.

According to friends, the incident occurred while they were out eating together. The young man reportedly tried to swallow the burger in one go. Witnesses described how he struggled to clear his airway, at one point pressing his back against a pillar in a desperate attempt to expel the food. Friends immediately attempted first aid, some with lifeguard and sailing crew training, but the situation escalated quickly.

The student, originally from Thessaloniki, had no prior intention of taking part in an organized “challenge,” according to friends. They described the act as a common dare among them, not a formal contest.

Emergency services transported him to the hospital, but the prolonged lack of oxygen caused irreversible damage, ultimately leading to his death.