Content warning: this article may contain subject matter some readers may find upsetting
A man was mauled to death and eaten by a shark just off an Egyptian tourist resort.
The Russian citizen was tragically killed in the shark attack which took place at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada on Thursday (8 June), according to Russia's Consulate General in the city and two Egyptian security sources.
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Egypt's Environment Ministry has since issued a statement on the matter and reported that it was a tiger shark that was responsible for the death of the unnamed beachgoer.
It read: "Investigation work has been completed, and the Red Sea Reserves confirmed that there was an attack by a tiger shark on a beach pioneer, leading to his death."
The statement, posted on Facebook, explained that a team from the ministry alongside other authorities were able to capture the shark in question.
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It went on to add that local authorities also placed a ban on swimming and other water sports activities across multiple beaches near the site.
A follow-up statement added: "Dr. Yasmin Fouad, the Minister of the Environment, directed the staff specialised in managing the shark attack incident on a pioneer of Hurghada beaches, to apply all policies applied globally to achieve maximum levels of safety for Red Sea shores and to take all possible measures to avoid the repetition of the shark attack incident again."
The minister continued: "In light of abnormal shark behaviour causing the incident and previous fact that there have been incidents of attacks on humans by this species in the past, the fishing team examined the fish that caused the incident to examine it to find out possible causes for the attack and whether it was [the] same fish that caused previous accidents."
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The Ministry of the Environment also 'warns citizens and shores of the Red Sea to comply with instructions and regulations organised to deal with natural resources in the Red Sea for their safety'.
According to Reuters, a diver who arrived at the scene just after the attack said people rushed to help the victim after a nearby lifeguard raised the alarm.
Unfortunately, they were not able to reach the man in time.
One witness reportedly told Russia station REN-TV: "It happened in a second. Rescuers reacted very quickly. For some reason, I immediately felt that it was a shark.
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"I immediately jumped up and started shouting: 'Sharks, sharks! Save yourself!' Nobody understood yet."
"It’s a terrible thing, the remains of this guy are over there. I’m shaking. Right in front of my eyes, the shark ate that guy. I think I need a drink. I feel really bad," another woman told the Telegram channel Baza.
A video has since begun circulating online, purportedly of the attack, showing the man thrashing about in the water before being attacked by a shark circling around him.
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He can then be seen being dragged under the water's surface.
Russia's TASS news agency has since reported that the person killed was a Russian man born in 1999 who lived in Egypt full-time and was not a tourist.
Topics: Animals, World News, Sharks
Rhiannon Ingle