Tourist killed by shark off Egyptian Red Sea resort

A Czech dad has been killed by a shark while swimming in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt.

The tourist's body was found on Marsa Alam beach, according to local media.

City council chairman General Atef Wagdy said the man died "as a result of an attack by a shark" and warned that people who swim on the surface in deep waters beyond the coral are "vulnerable to attack".

The health ministry is coordinating handing over the body to the Czech embassy, Wagdy confirmed.

He told AFP that the victim died 12 miles north of Marsa Alam city after being attacked by a shark.

Czech media said the man was 41 and was on holiday in the area with his wife and children.

Wagdy said: "There is no problem in diving around Marsa Alam , but people who swim on the surface in deep waters beyond the coral can be vulnerable to attack."

The area is renowned for its sandy beaches and coral reefs and is popular with divers exploring the coral and other marine life, including fish and sharks.

In 2015, a German tourist was killed by a shark off the Red Sea coast - the first such death in five years.

There were six recorded shark attacks in Egyptian waters in 2010, including a spate of five in as many days unusually close to the shore, killing another German holidaymaker and injuring four other foreign tourists.

The 2010 attacks forced the government to close off a stretch of beach in the Sharm el-Sheikh resort for a week.

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), around 80 unprovoked shark attacks are reported per year.

The ISAF say 2,785 attacks were confirmed between 1958 and 2016, 439 of which were fatal.

In 2017, Egypt received 8.3 million visitors - a rise of 54 per cent from 5.4 million the previous year.

Tourist travel to Sharm was suspended in December 2015 after a Russian passenger plane was bombed by jihadists, killing all 224 on board.

The Sun