Woman savaged by shark has arm amputated after horror attack at popular resort

14 September 2023 , 11:31

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A woman’s arm was amputated after she was the victim of a shark attack in Egypt (file photo) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A woman lost her arm after being mauled by a shark at a popular Egyptian holiday resort..

Beach-goers fled from the sea after the predator attacked at Dahab, around 30 miles north of Sharm el-Sheikh. The tourist had to have her left arm amputated after she was bitten while swimming in the water with a friend. The beach in south Sinai was closed by authorities in the wake of the attack.

She was rescued from the sea and rushed to hospital while unconscious, with footage showing her being taken away in an ambulance. Her condition was later described as “stable”. The unidentified victim was reported to be a tourist from the Egyptian city of Alexandria.

She reportedly mistook the shark for a tuna fish (El Fagr/east2west news)

She was rescued from the water and rushed to hospital (El Fagr/east2west news)

‌A two-hour search with harpoons for the shark failed to locate the animal, according to reports. A shark had been seen prowling the waters off Egyptian resort Dahab in August which led to a temporary ban on swimming at the time, but it had since re-opened.

The attack on the woman follows an incident in June when Russian tourist Vladimir Popov was mauled to death by a tiger shark in Hurghada. One theory is that he was killed by a predator that had also fatally attacked tourists a year earlier.

Teen girl mauled to death by shark in front of her friends in horrendous attack

The tiger shark that killed a 23-year-old Russian tourist earlier this year reportedly being embalmed so it can be preserved for a museum display. He was eaten alive while swimming at a popular beach and screamed "Papa, papa" as the shark attacked him in front of horrified onlookers.

The beach in south Sinai was closed by authorities in the wake of the attack (El Fagr/east2west news)

Amr Zakaria Hamouda, head of the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries in Egypt, said the animal was mummified and is being prepared for an exhibition in the Museum of Marine Sciences in Hurghada. Scientists are also planning a report on the animal's behaviour and research is ongoing to establish how to ensure that sharks stay away from tourist spots where people swim, snorkel and take part in water sports, reports Al Arabiya.

According to Al Arabiya, Governor of the Red Sea Major General Amr Hanafi is looking into installing nets at some beaches, hotels, and tourist villages in order to prevent sharks from reaching swimmers. In July 2022, 68-year-old Austrian tourist Elisabeth Sauer was snorkelling when she was attacked in the water. A second victim, a Romanian tourist, was eaten alive some 650ft away.

Will Stewart