Following the shark attack incident on June 8th, the authorities of Hurghada province have decided to close all resort beaches for two days. This order came into effect from Friday morning, June 9th.
According to local media, an operational group will be formed to investigate the incident. During this time, tourists and local residents are prohibited from swimming, diving, and engaging in any water sports near the coast of Hurghada. Vacationers are strongly advised to follow all recommendations provided by the lifeguards on duty.
The tragedy occurred near Old Vic Beach, which is a public beach open to everyone. It is not reported whether any shark protective measures were in place or if qualified lifeguards were present on the beach. However, it is the responsibility of lifeguards to ensure that bathers do not attract fish by feeding them. Further details regarding specific safety measures and lifeguard presence have not been provided in the given information.
According to representatives of the country's tourism industry, this tragic incident may have a negative impact on the demand for holidays in Egypt. However, as of now, there haven't been any widespread tour cancellations in the market.
It is already clear today that the authorities of Egypt should take more serious measures to control the protection of swimmers from sharks. After all, this is already the second case of an attack within a little over a year. The first incident occurred in July 2022 in the bay of Sahl Hasheesh on a hotel beach. Unfortunately, as in the first case, the victims did not survive.
