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Egypt's Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS) can confirm that a woman died followed an attack from a shark which occured on the morning of Monday 1 June at St Johns Reef in the southern Red Sea.
The French woman had been on a diving safari holiday on board the boat Le Nautile when the incident took place. A number of boats were moored at a reef. A group of about 20 snorkellers was observing what is thought to be an oceanic white tip shark approximately 2.5 - 3m long The woman is reported to have moved away from the group and some distance from the reef then ducked dive down towards the shark. On surfacing she was bitten on the leg and was still in contact with the shark as she was pulled onto the boat. Once on the boat, the casualty lost consciousness and died soon after.
The boat returned to the Port of Hamata, where other members of the group were interviewed by police and statements were taken.
Initial investigations revealed last week that two safari boats had been involved in feeding sharks in this area. Investigations by both the National Park and CDWS are already underway and if the allegations are found to be true, the boat operators will face severe penalties that may involve suspension from operating and heavy fines. Shark feeding is a serious violation of Red Sea rules, and an act that can severely disturb the sensitive marine eco-system and behaviour of marine animals.
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2.6.2009
Mary Gleeson
Marketing and PR Co-ordinator
Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS)
Red Sea, Egypt
email: [email protected]
skype: marygleeson
tel: (00 2) 012 039 8576
fax. (00 2) 23 536 5763
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