Tourist killed by shark in Egypt while swimming in the Red Sea

Authorities decided to close the area to swimming for two days following the incident, Egypt's Environment Ministry announced.

A foreign tourist was killed and another injured by a shark while swimming in the Red Sea, off the coast of Egypt, announced the Ministry of the Environment in a press release published Sunday December 29 on Facebook. The two strangers “were attacked in the region (…) of Marsa Alam”specified the ministry.

The two tourists were taken to Port Ghalib hospital in the Red Sea governorate. Authorities decided to close the area to swimming for two days following the incident, which the ministry said occurred in “deep water outside the swimming area”. The Egyptian government has not revealed the nationality of the victims.

Sharks are not rare in the Red Sea, but very rarely attack swimmers if they do not exceed the authorized limits. In June 2023, a Russian was killed by a shark off the coast of Hurghada, on the Red Sea, according to authorities.