The incident occurred on the evening of 13/11 while the young man was dining with friends, according to CNN Greece. Reports indicate he swallowed the entire burger without chewing, seemingly as a "performance" or "joke". A friend present at the scene recounted to local media that the student began to panic shortly after.

"He stood up and ran a bit far away. We thought it was because he wanted to vomit and didn't want to make a mess," the friend recounted. "He came back and then ran off again... We thought, 'Okay, it's coming out' but it didn't happen."

Illustrative photo: Joshua Resnick/Adobe Stock

His friends realized the seriousness of the situation when the young man hit his back against a pillar before collapsing to the ground. Immediately after, rescuers from the National Emergency Center of Greece (EKAB) arrived at the scene, attempting to resuscitate him. According to witnesses, the man stopped breathing for over two minutes.

The victim was rushed to Georgios Gennimatas Hospital, where he is currently being treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is on a ventilator. The next 24 hours are critical for his health.

Police have opened an investigation and will review the restaurant's security cameras to determine the cause. However, both family and friends confirm that the student's action was not instigated or part of a challenge. "He just said 'Look at this'. If one had to name it, it was a joke," a witness told local media. The victim's father also stated that he does not want to blame his son's friends.

Binh Minh (According to CNN Greece)