Russian citizen killed in shark attack in Egypt

CAIRO (Reuters): A Russian citizen was killed in a shark attack near a beach at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada, Russia’s Consulate General in the city and two Egyptian security sources said on Thursday.

Egypt’s Environment Ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook that a tiger shark was responsible for the death of a beachgoer, without giving details of the victim.

A team from the ministry and other authorities was able to capture the shark, the statement said, adding that local authorities had issued a ban on swimming, snorkelling and other water sports activities on several beaches near the attack site.

A diver who arrived on the scene just after the attack said people had rushed to help the victim after a lifeguard from a nearby hotel raised the alarm, but were not able to reach him in time.

Russia’s TASS news agency said the person killed was a Russian man born in 1999 who lived in Egypt full-time and was not a tourist.

In a statement posted on its official channel on the Telegram messaging application, the consulate urged Russian tourists to be vigilant when in the water and to strictly adhere to any swimming bans imposed by local authorities.