A Russian man has died after being mauled by a shark near the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada, authorities have confirmed. The attack occurred on Thursday when a tiger shark targeted the man in the water, prompting officials to close a 46-mile (74km) stretch of coastline until Sunday.
Egypt's environment ministry stated that the shark was captured and is being examined in a laboratory to determine the reasons behind the rare attack. The Russian consulate in Hurghada identified the victim as a Russian citizen born in 1999 who lived in Egypt full-time, not a tourist.
A video circulating online appears to show the man struggling in the water before being repeatedly attacked and dragged under. A diver who arrived shortly after the attack reported that people rushed to help after a lifeguard raised the alarm, but were unable to reach the victim in time.
Shark attacks are uncommon in the Red Sea, though two women—one Austrian and one Romanian—were killed in separate attacks near Hurghada in 2022. The region's resorts, including Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, are popular with European tourists and divers attracted by the coral reefs.
The Russian consulate urged tourists to remain vigilant and adhere to swimming bans. Egypt has been working to revive its tourism sector, which has suffered from political instability, the pandemic, and the war in Ukraine.
