Tiger Shark That Likely Ate Tourist In Egypt Beaten To Death By Beachgoers

A tiger shark, believed to be responsible for attacking a Russian tourist in Egypt, was beaten to death by local beachgoers.

A shocking incident took place at one of Egypt's Red Sea resorts in the city of Hurghada last Thursday, where 23-year-old Vladimir Popov was attacked by a tiger shark while he was swimming. It happened in front of shocked tourists. A video circulating on social media captured the terrifying moments as the man struggled, screamed and attempted to escape the shark's relentless attacks.

Eyewitnesses said the tiger shark circled around Popov, toying with his body for approximately two hours before dragging him underwater, Sky News reported. The media outlet later reported that local beachgoers took matters into their own hands after the attack. They ventured out into the sea on boats and managed to capture the shark responsible for his death, using a net.

Another video surfaced online depicting a disturbing scene where a group of people captured the tiger shark, which they believed killed Popov. It shows people in boats capturing a large tiger shark. In the footage, one individual can be seen wielding a metal pole and repeatedly striking the shark's head, while others attempt to forcibly open its mouth, BBC reported.

Egypt's Environment Ministry previously confirmed that the tiger shark involved in the incident had been captured. It said the shark will be taken to a laboratory for examination to understand the factors that may have triggered the rare attack.

It remains unclear whether the captured shark and the one seen in the video are the same. To address concerns and ensure safety, officials have taken action by closing off a 45-mile stretch of the coastline. The restricted area remained off-limits to people intending to swim or participate in water sports activities till Sunday.

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) are recognized as formidable predators and have the second-highest number of reported attacks on humans, following the white shark. While tiger sharks are generally curious and not typically aggressive when encountered, they are among the top three species commonly associated with shark attacks and fatalities.