Today, December 29, a shark in the waters of Marsa Alam, Egypt, attacked two Italian tourists. A 69-year-old man was injured, while a 48-year-old Roman tourist unfortunately succumbed to his wounds. What was meant to be a dream holiday turned into a tragedy for the two Italians, who had traveled to the country to spend the festive season. The victims’ families have been informed, and an investigation is underway to clarify the circumstances of the incident.
The attack occurred beyond the designated swimming area
Initial reports suggest that the tragedy could have been avoided. The attack took place in deep waters, far from the shore, and beyond the permitted swimming area. It is believed that the two tourists ventured into the open sea to admire the coral reef of Marsa Alam, one of the most popular attractions for visitors to the Red Sea. Unfortunately, this decision proved to be fatal.
Following the incident, the Egyptian Ministry of Environment ordered the closure of the affected area, banning swimming near the piers for the next two days. Additionally, officials have been tasked with increasing surveillance and immediately initiating monitoring in the Red Sea reserves.
Not the first attack in the Red Sea
Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Shark attacks on tourists in the Red Sea have occurred before. In July 2022, a 68-year-old Austrian woman was killed by a shark. A year later, a Russian tourist was devoured by a shark. More recently, in September 2023, another attack left an Egyptian woman without an arm in the waters off Dahab, in the southern Sinai.
