Marine Life Shark attack at Egyptian Red Sea resort

[scubaozy]

Hi, Basic Open Water Diver here (13 dives) heading out to Sharm this week. Still undecided about whether to dive.

Never thought twice on a couple of trips before but family members warning about Shark Attacks and after reading a few forum posts has got me a bit worried this time! Plan to do Advance course with a bit of day diving - can opting to dive with a guide (Scuba instructor) allay some fears or that would be of no help whatsoever if a Shark wants me for dinner?! Should I avoid seperate snorkeling trips to Ras Mohammed, Tiran Island, Dahab (blue hole) that were planned? How about Snorkeling from beach hotel (Naama Bay)?

Thanks for any advice.

Diving is much safer than snorkeling, so, if I were you I would dive without any reservations. Several million people visit Red Sea yearly and last 2 years there was 1 incident per year. Looking at those odds, I personally would do other activities as well. Just be mindful and use the basic guidelines like avoiding solitary swimming to reduce the risk.

 

[Anish]

O'boy, this is what Egypt needs now, more dead people in the Red Sea. May Allah have mercy on them...

Red Sea becoming Dead Sea?..Or is that too soon

 

[rjk75]

Is that area one of those shark feeding locations for tourist dollars?

 

[CamC]

Hi, Basic Open Water Diver here (13 dives) heading out to Sharm this week. Still undecided about whether to dive.

Never thought twice on a couple of trips before but family members warning about Shark Attacks and after reading a few forum posts has got me a bit worried this time! Plan to do Advance course with a bit of day diving - can opting to dive with a guide (Scuba instructor) allay some fears or that would be of no help whatsoever if a Shark wants me for dinner?! Should I avoid seperate snorkeling trips to Ras Mohammed, Tiran Island, Dahab (blue hole) that were planned? How about Snorkeling from beach hotel (Naama Bay)?

Thanks for any advice.

Ah, that all sounds very familiar. My first trip to Sharm in 2011 as a newbie came just after a spate of fatal shark attacks in the area, and no matter how much everyone (correctly) tells you that they very, very rarely go for divers it can't help but prey on your mind. In the end I went, of course, and after the first few minutes of unnecessary hyper-vigilance spent more time worrying about my buoyancy than about sharks. I dived all the places you mentioned (and also the unfortunately named Sharks Bay ;-) rather than snorkelling, though, and went home disappointed that I DIDN'T see any sharks.

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

@rjk75 No, there are no shark feedings in Egypt.
@pakno1 Unfortunately the press is always keen having shark stories, usually very dramtatic and illustrated with the common picture of a White Shark, regarless of what it really was. Looking at stats will tell you that the most dangerous part of your holiday will not be a shark encounter but the journey from your home the airport.
Furthermore, while learning about this new environment and the life in it, you will realise that sharks are your least concerns. Just thinking of moray eels with their 2 jaws or the Titan Triggerfishs and so on and so on.
As a diver you are not on the menu and they may be curious and come closer but most of the time, they will ignore you.

 

[pakno1]

Ah, that all sounds very familiar. My first trip to Sharm in 2011 as a newbie came just after a spate of fatal shark attacks in the area, and no matter how much everyone (correctly) tells you that they very, very rarely go for divers it can't help but prey on your mind. In the end I went, of course, and after the first few minutes of unnecessary hyper-vigilance spent more time worrying about my buoyancy than about sharks. I dived all the places you mentioned (and also the unfortunately named Sharks Bay ;-) rather than snorkelling, though, and went home disappointed that I DIDN'T see any sharks.

Thank you for the re-assurance. I have been twice before for diving in Egypt but over 6 years ago now... Only now I started getting concerned about sharks after family gave warnings and reading about some horror stories. However, I don't want to miss out so will probably end up overcoming my fears! Plenty of other things can kill you and we do it daily without blinking e.g. driving.

 

[pakno1]

@rjk75 No, there are no shark feedings in Egypt.
@pakno1 Unfortunately the press is always keen having shark stories, usually very dramtatic and illustrated with the common picture of a White Shark, regarless of what it really was. Looking at stats will tell you that the most dangerous part of your holiday will not be a shark encounter but the journey from your home the the airport.
Furthermore, while learning about this new environment and the live in it, you will realise that sharks are the less of your concerns. Just thinking of moray eels with their 2 jaws or the Titan Triggerfishs and so on and so on.
As a diver you are not on the menu and they may be curious and come closer but most of the time, they will ignore you.

Thanks for the re-assurance! Done my basic course but over 6 years ago now, will look to do my advanced when I'm out there after a Scuba Review.

 

[iamhereonetime]

I was in Sataya last week. I'm not diver, maybe recreational snorkeler. My wife is diver and I came to do kitesurfing.
This is how jetty looks like:

This is the 'recommended' swimming area and zodiac's parked:

Hotel didn't tell anything to the guest. So anything I know is just from other guests who supposedly witnessed the attack
1st guest was also snorkeling at the same time and he saw the shark/the incident
He shouted to the younger guy but was afraid to help him. The older guy also saw that and went to help the younger guy
2nd guest told me that the older guy tried to help the younger one, punched the shark, got bitten (in case of shark that is understatement). Then he got rescued because the lifeguard only saw him. In the meantime the younger guy was hanging to the bouy before he got rescued. He stated that they were close or within the designated swimming area.
Lifeguard told me the the accident happened outside the area but not more then 20-30m (but his English was bare minimum)
This is screenshot from rescue action, so they were inside the 'swimming' area:

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNew41kbB/

..............
This is an inherent risk for snorkellers when snorkelling on reefs that have a significant drop off and are facing the open sea. Unfortunately, very few are aware of this...

From my small experience around Marsa Alam region, most reef which I visited have around ~5-10m drop off.

The shark was approximately a 5-meter-long tiger shark. The two victims were a father and son, aged 45-50 and 70 years old. The son died instantly from a wound to his leg, while the father sustained serious injuries to his hands and thigh. (They didn’t share the pictures, saying nobody would want to see them.)

almasryalyoum article
it was Mako Shark (google translate)

Sataya hotel doesn't have any other hotel nearby and I'd say this increases the chance to encounter large marine life.

None of those hotels in that area have any hotel nearby in terms of side by side.

 

[Jai Bar]

Is that area one of those shark feeding locations for tourist dollars?

Nope, and as far as I know it is not common practice in Egypt.

 

[Jai Bar]

Not for the shark...
This is an inherent risk for snorkellers when snorkelling on reefs that have a significant drop off and are facing the open sea. Unfortunately, very few are aware of this...

Many of the shark attacks in Egypt happened at shallow water, some victims were standing not even snorkeling .

These are not the type of attacks people see on tv National Geographic Wild chanel's "shark week" where they show GWS speeding from the depths hunting seals from below. Many sharks prowl the shallows for food, sometimes at very shallow water.