Russian man killed in rare shark attack off Egypt's Red Sea coast

A Russian man died after being mauled by a shark on Thursday at one of Egypt's Red Sea resorts, Egyptian and Russian authorities said.

Egypt's Environment Ministry said the man was killed after being attacked by a tiger shark in the waters near the city of Hurghada. Authorities closed off a 46-mile stretch of the coastline, announcing it will remain off-limits until Sunday.

The ministry later said it had caught the shark and was examining it in a laboratory to try and determine the reasons for the rare attack.

The Russian Consulate in Hurghada confirmed the man was a Russian citizen but did not give his name.

A video circulating online, purportedly of the attack, shows a man thrashing about in the water before being attacked by a shark circling around him, before being dragged under.

Shark attacks are rare in the Red Sea coastal regions. However, in 2022 there were two attacks in Hurghada within days that killed an Austrian and a Romanian tourist.

Egypt's Red Sea resorts, including Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, are some of the country's most renowned destinations and are popular with European tourists. Divers are attracted by the steep drop-offs of coral reefs just offshore, which offer rich and colorful sea life.

Egypt has in recent years sought to revive the vital tourism sector, hurt by years of political instability, the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Tiger sharks are a large species that reside in temperate waters and are ranked second by the International Shark Attack File for the number of unprovoked attacks on humans, behind white sharks.

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• Shark
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• Egypt
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