Press release
1 December 2010
CDWS statement on shark incident in Sharm el
Sheikh
Egypt's Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS) has
today (1 December) been instructed by the Ministry of Tourism (MoT)
that all diving and watersports activities are to be suspended in
Sharm el Sheikh, with the exception of the Ras Mohammed National
Park, following reports of three shark attacks.
Authorities informed the CDWS that three Russian
tourists have been attacked in three separate incidents in the last
24 hours in an area north of Naama Bay. The victims, one male and
two females, are currently being treated in hospital. One of the
injured is reported to be in a critical condition. All were
snorkelling at different times of the day on local reefs when the
attacks happened. No names have been officially
released.
The MoT has instructed all beaches to be closed to
the public and all diving and watersports activities to be
suspended until the end of the day tomorrow (2 December) across the
whole of the Sharm el Sheikh coast, with the exception of the Ras
Mohammed National Park.
Officials from the South Sinai National Park have
tracked down the shark in question - confirmed to be an adult
oceanic white tip shark. The South Sinai National Park, led by head
marine biologist Mohammed Salem, is currently attempting to capture
the shark with the aim of releasing it back into the wild in a
remote area in the Gulf of Suez. The chosen location will be a safe
distance from any tourist resorts in the Red Sea.
CDWS is working together with officials and shark
experts to determine the causes behind such unusual behaviour,
including possible indications of illegal fishing or feeding in the
area.
Appealing for calm, CDWS chairman Hesham Gabr
underlined the extreme rarity of such an incident, particularly in
the Red Sea where around three million people each year enjoy water
activities without incident.
Mr Gabr said: 'We are monitoring the situation very
closely and working together with all authorities to ensure the
safety of all members and visitors in the Red Sea. Our thoughts are
with the victims and their families.
'This is an extremely unusual incident. However, with
such a frequency of attacks in the last 24 hours, measures have
been taken by the MoT to close the sea to give teams working the
sufficient time to track down and capture the shark
safely.'
Richard Peirce, the chairman of the Shark Trust in
the UK, confirmed that such behaviour is extremely unusual and said
it was highly likely this may have been provoked by possible
illegal fishing in the area.
Mr Pierce said: 'The Shark Trust understands that the
animal thought to be responsible for the attack in Sharm el Sheikh
is an oceanic white tip shark. It is probable that the tragic
attacks were triggered by a specific activity or event, and the
Trust further understands that the Egyptian authorities are
carrying out investigations. Attacks on humans by sharks are
extremely rare and this species would normally not be found close
to shore on bathing beaches. The Trust has been informed that a
single animal is thought to be responsible for all three incidents
and that attempts are being made to catch the shark.'
Figures from the International Shark File, which has
a global database dating back to 1580, show that there have only
been nine reports of attacks by oceanic white tip sharks on humans
since records began. Of these attacks, five were registered as
'unprovoked', three 'provoked' and only one fatal.
Press enquiries by email to Laura Coppa, PR
co-ordinator on laura.coppa@cdws.travel
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