An Italian tourist has been killed in a shark attack at a popular Red Sea holiday resort in Egypt.
Another man was also injured in the attack in Marsa Alam, according to Egypt’s environment ministry.
A source at the Italian foreign ministry said that the man killed was a 48-year-old resident of Rome. The injured man is 69 and also Italian, from Cremona.
The injured man was taken to hospital in Port Ghalib, around 30 miles north of Marsa Alam, the Egyptian ministry said on Sunday.
The ministry said the attack occurred in deep water outside the designated swimming zone near the jetties in northern Marsa Alam, adding that swimming out from the jetties was prohibited and the jetties would be closed for two days from Monday.
The Red Sea is a major tourist destination whose marine life make it popular with divers and Marsa Alam is an Egyptian coastal town known for its coral reefs and beaches.
Deadly shark attacks are a near-yearly occurrence in Egypt’s Red Sea, where marine experts warn unregulated construction, overfishing, and irresponsible tourism practices contribute to changing the ecosystem and shark behaviour.
Vladimir Popov, 23, was circled by the ‘meat grinder’ tiger shark before he was dragged underwater, as he screamed out: ‘Papa, save me!’
