'Tiger Shark' & body in the red sea ??

[crea2k3]

Does anyone know anything about this ?
Egypt shark: UK couple told keep quiet about predator near Sharm el-Sheikh | Mail Online
As usual the mail is accurate as usual with their photo, which inst even a tiger shark, not sure how much truth is in it as no one has yet been reported missing, well it hasn't gotten to the press yet. I know over there finding the real truth will prob never happen as once when I got a camera stolen there and had to tell the police for my insurance to get claim ref, and was told that "am I sure it was stolen, can we just say it was lost as they don't want to be added to crime stats for tourists to see", and that was a police officer :S.
Not sure how much press scaremongery is going on in that article, so would be interesting to hear from anyone that knows anything.

 

[arkstorm]

I'm pretty sure the shark pictured (sand tiger shark) was for illustration purposes only since the article makes no mention that anyone jumped in to photograph the shark eating the woman.

It wouldn't surprise me if the story was true. Between the recent coup d'etat and other highly publicized shark attacks, the dive operators over there must be hurting -- so there is certainly motive.

 

[Crowley]

As usual the Mail's reporting leaves much to be desired but sadly I can confirm that the general story is true - and even more sadly, I have a passing acquaintance with the deceased as she worked very briefly at my dive centre.

What I know is that a missing persons report was circulated last week and subsequently the lady in question was found in the water, and I was told that the body had indeed attracted shark activity (that is after all, what they do) and I have also been told that the cause of death was drowning. I have heard (unconfirmed) that a second body, that of her Egyptian husband, was also later recovered. No shark attack took place, of that I am certain.

I am not aware that the species of shark has been identified. Tigers haven't been seen for a few years in Sharm and it's probably a little chilly for them at the moment anyway. The picture in the article looks to me like a sand tiger, suggesting that mail journalists picked the first picture they Googled that showed a satisfactorily ragged-toothed "KILLER" to give the story that little bit of extra bloodthirstiness. Sorry - but after the misreporting of the attacks last year, this sort of thing sets my teeth on edge.

As for tourists being asked to hush things up - yeah, I don't doubt that for a second.

C.

 

[Solly]

Crowley, just to get the point clear... the fatality is not due to shark attack, the shark just approached a dead body... is my understanding correct?

 

[Crowley]

Exactly correct - death due to drowning, not shark attack.

 

[Jai Bar]

To me the photo in the article looks like a Tiger shark, not sand tiger which usually one can see their teeth protruding outwards in a very intimidating fashion.

What I don't understand in all this story, is how both the woman and her husband had drowned, and why the boat did not stop to recover the body? Something is very odd in this story.

 

[Crowley]

okay I have some more information - I'm not sure how much I should share in a public forum...

firstly - the picture in the Mail Online article has been changed, it was originally a picture of a sand tiger, now it's a tiger shark. I still don't have confirmation of the species involved but Tigers are relatively easy to identify so although I remain skeptical, I can't rule it out at the moment. The body had spent some time in the water before it was spotted and recovered and was not intact; the rumour that her husband/boyfriend (not 100% sure of their marital status) was later also found seems to be wholly incorrect because... he has been arrested.

Since I don't have direct access to the source, and I am getting my information second-hand from albeit reliable sources, and since there now seems to be a police investigation involved, I don't want to post the rest of what I have been told in the public domain in case it turns out to be factually incorrect.

One thing is for certain, the cause of death was not shark attack.

C.

 

[crea2k3]

and I was told that the body had indeed attracted shark activity (that is after all, what they do)

This is what I was trying to tell my other half, I said its all media hype as people just assume its an attack, the person might have drown and sharks as they do in most places of the world eat anything dead, as that's what sharks do. She has said she wont go back there now because of all the shark activity that has happened just lately, but I pointed out to her compared to places like Australia etc, where there was 10 deaths last year and 40 something attacks its not exactly a common occurrence in Sharm, its just the media have got hold of it like they do and blown it all out of proportion to everywhere else.

Crowley, im sorry to hear you knew her , do you know how the two of them drowned, what they were doing ?.

I thought tigers were pretty unheard of in Sharm, im just wondering how they came to the conclusion that it was a tiger, saying that......I didn't think mako sharks where around sharms reefs too and tended to stick to the open ocean, but then again Dec's catch of one proves that wrong.

I think your right about the photo being the first they came across that looked scary, at least the Telegraph has actually got the correct shark on the article and not just the scariest looking one they could find a pic of.

 

[crea2k3]

Hmm I did suspect foul play might be at work here, as all the other 'attacks' had witnesses from the shore from what I have read. Its good to hear the mail actually has the correct photo now instead of just some random sand tiger. I suppose the post mortem should reveal the kind of shark by the bite marks, but if this turns out to be something darker that will probably be irrelevant anyway.
Its good to hear the sharks are innocent though, not that any of the press coverage gives that impression, they seem to have an axe to grind after Dec's happenings.

 

[Red Sea Leonfish]

I am very sorry to hear about this, both for the friends and family of the deceased and for the (hopefuly limited) damage that it will do for Sharm's tourist industry.

In the meantime, it may well confirm everyone's view of how these stories get so much publicity to learn that British company "cash4yourstory.co.uk" are already using testimonials from the 'witnesses' as an example of how they can make "a very good fee" by encouraging people to sell their stories!

"Richard King contacted us after he and his girlfriend witnessed a body being eaten by a Tiger shark in the Egyptian holiday resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The couple were keen to make the public aware that these aggressive sharks were in the waters where people swim, snorkel and dive. We shopped around to get Richard the best possible deal and the story was old to The Sun newspaper as an exclusive for a very good fee."

(1) Shark: Horror As Brits See Body In Sea Being Eaten- The Sun Newspaper- Exclusive News Story- ***Wednesday***

(2) Brit couple see tiger shark eating a human body at Egypt resort | The Sun |News