Deadly Shark Attack Near Egypt's Red Sea Resort

Access to a 74-kilometre shoreline has been restricted.

 

Egyptian and Russian officials confirmed that a Russian was killed after being attacked by a shark near Hurghada. The Egyptian Ministry of the Environment stated that a man had been attacked and killed by a tiger shark. The 74 kilometres of shoreline that have been cordoned off by authorities will stay so until further notice.

The officials subsequently said that the shark had been captured and was undergoing laboratory examination to ascertain the cause of the unusual assault. Despite not providing his identity, the Russian Consulate in Hurghada confirmed that the person in question was a Russian citizen.

An alleged video of the assault shows the victim flailing about in the water as a shark circles him and bites him many times before finally pulling him under.

In the coastal areas of the Red Sea, shark attacks are uncommon. However, two tourists from Austria and Romania were killed in separate incidents in Hurghada in 2022.

Egypt has spent a lot of time and effort in recent years trying to bring back its key tourist industry, which had been hit hard by years of political turmoil, the coronavirus outbreak, and the conflict in Ukraine.

Many Europeans go to the Red Sea resorts of Egypt, particularly the cities of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, which are home to some of the country's most well-known beaches. Divers are drawn to the coral reefs immediately offshore because of the abundance of marine life they provide.

The International Shark Attack File lists tiger sharks, a big species found in tropical and temperate environments, as one of the top five sharks responsible for the most reported attacks on people. Nevertheless, according to a global database of incidents involving sharks, the likelihood of actually being attacked is very low. It's possible that you'll share the water with sharks more regularly than one may expect, despite the fact that the odds of being killed by one are only 1 in 4 million.

Staying out of the water at night, when sharks have been observed nearby, or when you have an open injury is recommended for safety. Swimmers should also avoid making a lot of splashing noise and staying far from shore, since sharks are more inclined to attack an isolated prey.

According to the International Shark Attack File, if a shark does attack, striking it on the snout or aiming for its gills or eyes is the best course of action.

 

Source: euronews.com