Russian Man Mauled To Death By Tiger Shark Off Egypt's Red Sea Coast

CAIRO (AP) — A Russian man died after being mauled by a shark Thursday off 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 waters near the city of Hurghada. Authorities closed a 74-kilometer (46-mile) stretch of coastline, saying it would remain off-limits until Sunday.

The ministry later said it had captured the shark and was examining it in a laboratory to try to determine what caused the rare attack.

The Russian consulate in Hurghada identified the man as a Russian citizen but did not name him.

The boats docked at Hurghada Marina in the Egyptian resort town on the southern Red Sea, where a Russian citizen was mauled by a shark.

A video circulating online of what is said to be the attack shows a man thrashing in the water before being repeatedly attacked by a shark that circles him before being dragged down.

Shark attacks are rare in the coastal areas of the Red Sea. However, in 2022, two fatal attacks in Hugada within days, killing an Austrian and a Romanian tourist.

Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, including Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, boast some of the country’s most famous beach destinations and are popular with European tourists. Divers are drawn to the steep slopes of the coral reefs just offshore, which offer a rich and colorful marine life.

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

Tiger sharks are large species that live in tropical and temperate waters and are among the most cited sharks on the International Shark Attack File for unprovoked attacks on humans.