Russian citizen mauled to death by tiger shark off Egypt's Red Sea coast in rare attack

Coral reefs are seen in the Red Sea at Ras Katy Beach in Sharm el-Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt on Sept. 8, 2022. As this year's United Nations climate summit approaches, Egypt's government is touting its efforts to make Sharm el-Sheikh a more eco-friendly tourist destination. (AP Photo/Thomas Hartwell)

CAIRO — A Russian man died after being mauled by a shark on Thursday off one of Egypt's Red Sea resorts, Egyptian and Russian authorities said.

Egypt's Environment Ministry said the man was killed after being attacked by a tiger shark in the waters near the city of Hurghada. Authorities closed off a 74-kilometre (46-mile) stretch of the coastline, announcing it will remain off-limits until Sunday.

The ministry later said it had caught the shark and was examining it in a laboratory to try and determine the reasons for the rare attack.

The Russian Consulate in Hurghada identified the man as a Russian citizen but did not give his name.

A video circulating online, purportedly of the attack, shows a man thrashing about in the water before being repeatedly attacked by a shark circling around him, then being dragged under.

Shark attacks are rare in the Red Sea coastal regions. However, in 2022, two fatal attacks in Hughada within days, killing an Austrian and a Romanian tourist.

Egypt's Red Sea resorts, including Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, boast some of the country's most renowned beach destinations and are popular with European tourists. Divers are attracted by the steep drop-offs of coral reefs just offshore, which offer a rich and colourful sea life.

Egypt has in recent years sought to revive the vital tourism sector, hurt by years of political instability, the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Tiger sharks are large species that reside in tropical and temperate waters and are among sharks most cited by the International Shark Attack File for unprovoked attacks on humans.