According to media reports, the victim was a Russian citizen. Shark attacks are really rare in the Red Sea.
A man has died after a shark attack in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada. The announcement was made by the Egyptian Ministry of the Environment on Thursday night. The shark was later captured and the cause of the incident is being investigated. Initially, the ministry did not give further details.
Local media reported that the victim was a Russian citizen. A boat was still trying to save the man who was desperately screaming for help. However, the boat was not able to close in on him fast enough.
Attracted by waste
The shark was attracted by waste, media reported, citing local officials. Livestock traders would have thrown dead animals into the sea. Sharks therefore eat the carcasses, which are often washed ashore. There they sometimes mistake prey for swimmers and therefore attack them, it was said. According to the ministry, the beach was closed for two days.
The Red Sea is a popular destination for divers and others. Shark attacks are really rare there. Occasionally, however, deadly attacks occur. Two women, including an Austrian, were killed in a shark attack last summer. In 2018 a tourist from the Czech Republic died, in 2015 a German.