Tourist killed and another left in hospital after shark attack off coast of popular tourist destination

A tourist has been killed following a shark attack off the coast of Egypt, while another has been left injured, according to officials.

Egypt's environment ministry released a statement on Sunday's (29 December) horrific incident, which saw the resort town of Marsa Alam in eastern Egypt witness its first shark attack since 2020.

They said: "Two foreigners were attacked by a shark in the northern Marsa Alam area, which led to the injury of one and the death of the other."

In 'deep waters outside of the designated swimming area', the attack took place involving two tourists, who have been identified as Italian nationals by the BBC via AFP.

The shark attack resulted in the death of a tourist (Getty Stock Photo)

It is believed that the man who died was 48 years old, and was a resident of Rome, while AFP stated that the injured man is 69-years-old.

It was reported by Egyptian officials that the pair were taken to a hospital in Port Ghalib, located 30 miles north of Marsa Alam.

The resort town's swimming area has now been closed, as the incident is currently under investigation by authorities.

Marsa Alam is a popular tourist destination (Getty Stock Photo)

Swimming out from the jetties is now prohibited for two days from today (30 December), which is part of safety measures as a result of the incident, including warnings against swimming near piers.

The Environment Minister, Dr Yasmine Fouad, said in her statement after the attack, that she raised the state of alert in the Red Sea nature reserves after the brutal incident in the Red Sea off the northern coast of Marsa Alam.

Dr Fouad also explained that there would be the formation of an urgent committee, that would work with the Red Sea Governorate and other authorities in order to effectively investigate the incident.

They are currently assessing conditions in the area and nearby zones to ensure safety.

Though shark attacks across the world are extremely rare, the last occurrence in the Red Sea took place in June 2023 near Hurguda, Egypt, where a Russian man in his mid-20s was killed by a Tiger Shark, according to the Shark Research Institute.

The majority of sharks may not seek out humans, but the minority that have been involved in attacks leave a last impression, as five fatalities have now occurred as part of shark attacks in the area in the past decade.