A Russian dies from a shark attack in an Egyptian spa town

a citizen Russian died today from an attack by a shark on a beach in a seaside resort Egyptlocated in the Red Seain what marks the first death so far in 2023 from the bites of this animal after two tourists died last year in the same circumstances, local and Russian media reported.

“A shark attack in the tourist city of Hurghada this afternoon suddenly and unexpectedly caused the death of a foreigner”, Health sources pointed out to the Egyptian outlet Al Masry al Youm, which indicated that swimming in the area of ​​the incident has been prohibited until the level of the threat is known.

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The same sources added that one of the boats failed to save the citizen who “screamed for help during the shark attack, before it devoured him”.

Tourists parachute into the Red Sea waters off the southern Egyptian resort city of Hurghada on June 8, 2023, where a Russian citizen was attacked by a shark. (Photo by AFP) (-/)

Several media have broadcast a video posted on Twitter, which could not be independently verified, in which the man appears being devoured by the animal.

The Minister of the Environment, Yasmin Fuadconfirmed the attack and led the work team specializing in the management of the incident “to implement all policies applied internationally in order to achieve the highest safety standards for visitors to the beaches of the Red Sea and take all possible measures to prevent a repeat of the incident”, according to a statement from the ministry.

“Given the abnormal behavior observed in the shark that caused the incident and the fact that incidents of attacks on humans by this shark species had previously occurred, the specialized work team captured the fish that caused the attack to examine it in order to to know the reasons for their attack and indicate if it was the same shark that caused the previous attacks”, is noted in the note.

According to the Russian agency Tass, the victim has been identified as Vladimir Popov23 years old.

The consul general of Russia in Egypt, Viktor Voropaevconfirmed the death of the Russian citizen in the waters of hurghada and said he was a permanent resident of Egypt, not a tourist.

“The Russian died as a result of a shark attack”, declared the consul general, according to Tass, and warned citizens to be careful at sea.

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In July last year, the Egyptian authorities confirmed the death of two women by a shark attack in the spa town of Sahl Hasheshin the Red Sea, while snorkeling.

In recent years, shark attacks have been relatively rare in the coastal Red Sea region, an area that is a paradise for divers from around the world for its warm, clear waters teeming with aquatic life.

Egypt depends on tourism to prop up its economy and the Red Sea is a pole of attraction for thousands of tourists, mostly from Russia or Eastern European countries.

Source: Elcomercio