A swimmer had to have her arm amputated after it was seriously damaged in a shark attack off the coastline of the popular Egyptian resort of Dahab on Wednesday (13 September).
Reports say 34-year-old Zeinab Ahmed Mohammed, from Alexandria, was swimming with friends off Laguna Beach when the shark bit her left arm. She was recovered from the sea unconscious and rushed to hospital, initially in Dahab and then in Sharm el Sheikh, where she was described as being in a stable condition.
Fellow swimmers say they mistakenly thought the shark was a tuna fish when it was first spotted. No official confirmation of the species of shark involved has been released, but there were reports that some eyewitnesses said it was a tiger shark.
Egypt's Ministry of Environment closed this beach and several others for swimming, snorkelling and other watersports after the incident.
Shark attacks in Egypt are rare, but unfortunately this comes just three months after a Russian was killed by a tiger shark near Hurghada.
Experts have long emphasised the need for authorities to provide tourists and locals with better information on minimising the risk of shark encounters, and understanding the behaviour of Red Sea shark species.
I definitely was a shark bite…it WASN’T a shark attack!!