Between Tuesday, November 30th, 2010, and Sunday, December 5th, 2010, five swimmers were attacked by shark(s) off the South Sinai Coast, between North of Naama Bay and Ras Nasrani. The first two victims, two Russian women, were attacked in short succession in the early afternoon on Tuesday while swimming off the beach. Both suffered multiple bites resulting

in serious injuries. Minutes before one of these attacks, divers photographed a large adult female oceanic whitetip shark and observed it approaching one of the swimmers on the surface. The following day, two men (one Russian, one Ukrainian) were attacked – again in short succession close to the beach around midday – a few kilometres north of the area of the first attacks. One of the victims was bitten once resulting in minor injuries, the other again suffered multiple bites and serious injuries. No video or photograph has been available of this attack or the involved shark. As a consequence, all diving, snorkeling and other watersports activities were suspended in the Sharm El Sheikh area, with the exception of Ras Mohamed National Park.

By Thursday afternoon/night, pictures of two captured (and killed) sharks were published by officials, showing one male shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) and one female oceanic whitetip shark. Comparing their natural markings and body proportions, it could be concluded immediately, that the caught oceanic was not the same large female that was photographed at the site of the first attacks.

This large female was observed and filmed by divers in Ras Za'atar (Ras Mohamed National Park) on Friday, December 3rd, 2010, around midday. It showed the typical inquisitive behaviour of this shark species; no aggression was reported. The information, that the shark implicated in the first 2 attacks was seen in Ras Mohamed was made available to officials immediately. On that same day, exploratory dives had been carried out by dive professionals along the Sharm El Sheikh coast without encountering any other sharks.

All restrictions on water-activities were lifted and the beaches re-opened on the morning of Saturday, December 4th, 2010.

On Sunday, December 5th, 2010, around midday, a German swimmer was attacked by a shark in Garden Bay. She died on site due to the severity of her injuries. A picture taken on the surface during the attack shows the same large female oceanic whitetip shark that had been observed during Tuesday's attacks, and interacting with divers in Ras Za'atar on Friday. Again, individual markings were used to verify her identity.

All beaches were immediately closed again, and at the time of writing, only dive professionals and experienced divers have been allowed in the water, with further restrictions in place in the area of the attacks. These divers have been asked to report back any shark activity in the area.

On Tuesday, December 7th, 2010, around midday, underwater photographs taken in Ras Mohamed by some of these divers again show the large adult female oceanic whitetip shark (from Tuesday, Friday & Sunday) interacting with divers at Yolanda/Shark Reef.

Conclusion:

A single large female oceanic whitetip shark has been observed at the site of 3 attacks on swimmers off Sharm El Sheikh, with eye-witness reports available for two. She is still in the general area, and – for the last 8 days – followed a pattern of traveling between the area of the attacks North of Naama Bay to Ras Mohamed National Park and back within 2–3 days. The severity of the attacks and the amount of human tissue taken (and potentially swallowed) indicates a clear deviation of the normal behaviour of an oceanic whitetip shark. Instead of briefly grabbing for testing or tasting purposes, this female apparently considers human swimmers as a potential food source.

Hurghada, December 8th 2010

To submit underwater images of Oceanic Whitetip Sharks, please go to http://www.longimanus.info/…/upload.html