Second woman killed in shark attack in Egypt's Red Sea

Tourists snorkel near a beach of the Red Sea resort

Two women were killed in shark attacks in Egypt's Red Sea, south of the city of Hurghada, the Egyptian Ministry of Environment said on Sunday.

Two sources told Reuters that the body of a Romanian tourist in her late forties was discovered hours after an attack that left a 68-year-old Austrian woman dead. Both attacks happened within 600 metres of each other, off the coast of Sahl Hasheesh, according to the sources.

The ministry said in its statement that a committee had been formed to examine the circumstances of the attacks and any scientific reasons behind them.

It also mentioned that the Governor of the Red Sea Governorate, Major General Amr Hanafi, has issued an order to suspend all activity in the area surrounding the attacks.

The first victim was transferred to a local private hospital, a source at the Red Sea Health Affairs Directorate told Reuters. He added that there were attempts to resuscitate her, but she died from her injuries.

A security source also added that the Austrian woman had been living in Egypt over the past five years with her Egyptian husband.

Reporting by Ahmed Mohamed Hassan; Additional Reporting by Moemen Attallah; Writing by Farah Saafan; Editing by Louise Heavens, Alexandra Hudson

REUTERS