‘Lucky coins’ turtle is dead

A 25-year-old green sea turtle, which swallowed hundreds of coins thrown by tourists seeking luck and longevity, has died two weeks after having surgery to remove the coins from her stomach.

The turtle – nicknamed Omsin, or “Piggy Bank” – died on Tuesday after having nearly 1,000 coins removed from her stomach in a four-hour operation in Thailand.

Omsin had been rescued by sailors who saw her ailing in the seaside town of Sattahip. She was examined by a vet who found the coins inside her stomach.

The weight of the money inside her had cracked her underside shell. Omsin appeared to be doing well after the op, but a check-up revealed problems and vets performed a second twoand-a-half-hour operation, but Omsin never woke up.