A tiger shark killed a 24-year-old Russian national in the Egyptian city of Hurghada on the shores of the Red Sea on Thursday, the country's environment ministry has said. Egyptian authorities are investigating the incident and have scoured the perimeter waters to secure the area, according to the daily 'Ahram Online'.
The ministry has issued a two-day ban on swimming, diving and other water sports between Gouna and Soma Bay, which is in line with international protocols and will be effective from Friday.
Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad has urged residents and tourists to comply with instructions to "ensure their own safety".
The last such attack in Egypt, which usually occurs during the mating and egg-laying season according to a report by the Hurghada Conservation and Environmental Protection Association, occurred three years ago, when a Ukrainian boy lost an arm and an Egyptian guide lost his leg.