Shark attacks tourists in Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheik

A white tip shark is on the loose around the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheik. The shark has already injured four tourists on holiday in Sharm el Sheik in separate attacks. One of the injured tourists was in a critical condition and had to be sent to a hospital in Cairo for treatment.

Mohammed Salem, a local conservation official, has reported that all the victims were Russian tourists. He claims to have seen the shark before it attacked one of the victims. It swam up to him, but he scared it away by blowing bubbles into its face.

A British man on holiday in Sharm el Sheik had a snorkelling trip booked just hours after a serious attack took place in the stretch of water he would have been snorkelling in. He believes he made a lucky escape.

The hunt is now on to find the white tip shark in the Red Sea resort. Authorities aim to catch it and release it into the open sea. Diving and water sports have temporarily been suspended in Sharm el Sheik whilst they look for the predator.

Sharm el Sheik is one of the most popular places in the world to go diving. Suspending diving activities will have an impact on tourists on holiday in Sharm el Sheik, but the decision was necessary to ensure their safety.

White tip sharks rarely attack people, and shark attacks in general in Sharm el Sheik are uncommon. It's unusual for sharks to swim close to the shoreline, which is where the victims were attacked. There are only around one or two fatal shark attacks each year in Egypt.

If you are on holiday in Sharm el Sheik, pay close attention to the advice of the local authorities and only go into the sea if it is safe to do so.

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