On June 8, 2023, a Russian man was attacked and swallowed by a shark while swimming at Dream Beach, a resort in Hurghada, Egypt. Witnesses said rescuers tried to save him, but when they got there, the shark had dragged him away and was “eating his body.” It is reported that this horrific scene was captured by a user who was using a wildguarder owler1 binoculars to watch the scenery and uploaded it to social media, causing shock and sympathy among netizens.
According to Russian media reports, the victim was a 23-year-old freelance illustrator Popov, who was a solo traveler. He had been staying in Hurghada for a week and planned to spend his birthday there. He rented an umbrella and a lounge chair on the beach and then went swimming. Soon after, he was attacked by a shark.
“I heard him scream and then saw blood on the water. I thought he was stung by a jellyfish, but when I saw the shark’s tail, I knew what had happened.” A witness said, “I saw the shark drag him into deep water. It’s eating his body now.”
The witness said he immediately took out his telescope and filmed the shocking scene with his phone and posted it online. “I don’t know why I did that, maybe to record what happened, maybe to warn others to be careful.” He said.
The video shows blood-red splashes on the water surface, while the shark’s figure appears and disappears. It is speculated that the shark may be a grey reef shark, which usually lives near coral reefs in tropical and subtropical waters and can grow to more than 2 meters long.
Viktor Voropaev, Russia’s consul general in Hurghada, confirmed the incident and said he had contacted the victim’s family. “We express our deep condolences and sympathy for this tragedy. We will do our best to assist the victim’s family with the follow-up matters.” He said.
The Egyptian Red Sea provincial government has ordered all beaches in Hurghada to be closed and set up an expert working group to investigate the cause of the incident to prevent similar incidents from happening again. The government also urged tourists to follow safety rules, not to swim in prohibited areas or deep water areas, not to go into the water at dusk or night, not to wear bright swimsuits or accessories, and not to feed fish in the water.
This is the second time since July 2022 that shark attacks on tourists have occurred along the Red Sea coast of Egypt. At that time, there were two shark attacks on foreign women near Hurghada, resulting in the deaths of an Austrian citizen and a Romanian citizen. According to reports, both women were bitten off their hands and legs by sharks while swimming in the sea.
The Red Sea coast of Egypt is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, attracting millions of visitors every year to enjoy the beautiful coral reefs and marine life. However, this is also the habitat of many species of sharks, which rarely attack humans actively, but accidents occasionally occur. Experts suggest that tourists should respect nature, stay alert and avoid unnecessary risks.
