RED SEA COAST. This is a live tracker of verified shark incidents and beach safety measures along Egypt’s Red Sea corridor, including Marsa Alam, Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh, and Sharm el Sheikh. It explains what changed on the water, where closures apply, and how Egypt’s coastal authorities are adjusting rules for snorkeling, diving, and swimming as tourism moves through a busy season. The aim is simple: clear, timely guidance that separates rumor from fact and shows what to do when conditions shift. For rolling updates across policy, water, and safety, see Egypt’s ongoing coastal brief.
How this tracker works
We compile incident reports from official statements, governorate orders, marine parks, rescue services, and wire coverage. We log only events with credible confirmation such as a ministry notice, a governorate directive, or hospital records. We avoid duplicating social media rumors. When an incident is confirmed, we note the location, time window, activity type, provisional species identification where available, and the immediate response such as a temporary closure or cordon. We update the status once authorities modify rules or reopen affected stretches of water.
Latest situation
Across the last two years, several serious incidents have occurred along Egypt’s Red Sea coastline. A fatal attack near Hurghada in 2023 led to immediate closures and an investigation in which a tiger shark was identified. In late 2024, authorities reported another deadly attack with one additional person injured near Marsa Alam, the environment ministry said in a statement. In 2025, the conversation widened to overall maritime safety after unrelated boating incidents reminded resorts that emergency preparedness needs to extend from beaches to vessels offshore, prompting a broader safety review. The pattern that emerges is not a constant hazard but episodic spikes that prompt short, localized restrictions and more visible patrols.
Where incidents cluster
The Red Sea is a long coastline with diverse conditions. The main tourist clusters are Hurghada and Sahl Hasheesh on the western shore, Marsa Alam farther south, and Sharm el Sheikh at the southern tip of Sinai. Incidents tend to be recorded in nearshore areas where reef shelves drop off into deeper water or along channels known for pelagic traffic.
Closures and how they are decided
Temporary closures are typically narrow and time-bound. A governorate order will set a date and time window, define the affected beaches or bays, and list permitted activities, as seen in a Dahab beach closure order in 2023. In most cases, snorkeling and swimming are suspended while boat transit and scuba diving under controlled conditions may continue outside ring-fenced areas, or all water activity may be paused if conditions warrant. Reopening follows risk assessment by environment and marine authorities, combined with patrols and observation flights if required. The default is caution near the incident site and normal activity elsewhere along the coast, with precedents that include an earlier double-fatality south of Hurghada in 2022.
Species and behavior
Egypt’s Red Sea is home to reef sharks and pelagic species. The incidents that draw the most attention typically involve tiger sharks and oceanic whitetips, both powerful predators that are curious by nature. Most encounters are non-contact and pass without injury. Contact incidents are rare and usually occur when multiple risk factors overlap, such as low visibility, unusual prey movements near shore, fish scraps or illegal discards in the water, or swimmers crossing outside marked areas into deeper channels. Species identification in the first hours after an incident is often provisional. Authorities usually confirm after video analysis or recovery of physical evidence; a concise species overview from NOAA explains oceanic whitetip behavior and status.
What resorts and operators are doing
Resorts along the Red Sea now run standard operating procedures that include lifeguard lookout towers, rescue craft, sealed first-aid stations with major bleeding kits, and VHF coordination between hotels, marinas, and coast stations. Many have adopted simple but effective rules: keep food waste and fish cleaning away from swimming areas, halt snorkeling when visibility drops, and clear the water quickly when big pelagics are sighted within the buoy lines. Dive centers brief clients on entry and exit points, avoid chumming on mixed-use reefs, and time boat drops to avoid stacking multiple groups in narrow channels. The underlying idea is to reduce surprise and keep people and wildlife in separate lanes.
Practical guidance for visitors
- Respect the lines: Stay inside marked swim areas. Floating lines and buoys are there to separate swimmers from reef edges and channels.
- Follow daily notices: If a red flag is raised or a beach is closed, assume the closure is for a defined reason and a limited time window. Reopening is more likely if compliance is high.
- Stay with your group: Snorkel with a buddy or guided group. Solo swimming on outer reefs increases exposure to changing currents and drop-offs.
- Keep food out of the water: Do not bring fish scraps or picnic waste into lagoons or off jetties. Food conditioning is a preventable risk.
- Mind visibility and time of day: If the water is cloudy or light is fading, postpone the swim. Risk is lower in clear, bright conditions with lifeguards in position.
- Report sightings: If you see a large pelagic within swim lines, alert staff immediately. Better to clear the water and restart later than to hesitate.
- Use proper fins and a mask: Strong kicks and clear vision reduce panic and poor reactions in chop or current.
How the state coordinates
Egypt’s environment and coastal authorities coordinate after an incident is confirmed. A typical sequence is rapid assessment at the site, a preliminary closure order, and a species and conditions review. Hospitals and emergency services are placed on alert until the closure is lifted or narrowed. Where necessary, authorities deploy spotter boats and drones to map fish schools, check for carcasses or waste that could attract predators, and validate that the nearshore water clears. Updated instructions are then relayed to resort managers and posted locally. The aim is a short, targeted suspension rather than wide, open-ended bans.
Why incidents spike
Most years pass without fatalities across the majority of resort beaches. Spikes do occur. They tend to coincide with seasonal prey movements, unusual weather, or human activity that concentrates bait or obscures visibility. Heavy boat traffic on a small reef can stir up silt and create confusion between groups in the water. Discarding fish waste near jetties is a known risk. Unsupervised swims over drop-offs or along channels increase exposure. The answer is not to shut down an entire coastline but to tighten controls at specific points until conditions normalize.
What to watch this season
- Localized closures: Expect short, clearly defined suspensions near any verified incident, with rapid reopening after inspection and monitoring.
- Operator briefings: Resorts will refresh staff training on evacuation signals, radio protocols, and first response for severe bleeding.
- Reef etiquette: Expect stricter rules on food waste, fish feeding, and chumming. Many sites already prohibit these practices, and enforcement will increase after any incident.
- Visibility triggers: Look for rules that pause snorkeling when visibility drops below a set threshold. Simple metrics reduce arguments on busy days.
- Offshore alternatives: On closure days, operators may shift guests to offshore dive sites with better conditions, using controlled entries away from swim zones.
Tourism impact in context
Shark incidents are emotionally powerful but statistically rare. The economic story is broader. The Red Sea corridor is a pillar of Egypt’s tourism industry. After closures, bookings often dip, then recover as authorities publish clear timelines and resorts demonstrate compliance. The key is predictability. Travelers and agencies want to see that closures are precise, that communication is timely, and that reopening follows a standard checklist rather than ad hoc decisions. Egypt’s recent response pattern has moved in this direction, with faster official notices, tighter geographic focus, and clearer handoffs between ministries, governorates, and resort management.
Frequently asked
Is the Red Sea safe for swimming and snorkeling? In designated areas that are open and monitored, the answer is yes. Follow lifeguard instructions and daily flags. When a site is closed, stay out until it reopens.
Which species are most often mentioned? Reports that identify a species usually refer to tiger sharks or oceanic whitetips in deeper channels. Identification is sometimes revised after review.
Why do closures vary so much? Geography and conditions differ. A small bay with a narrow channel may close while a nearby beach stays open. The authorities tailor orders to the specific risk.
How will I know if my beach is affected? Check the day’s notice boards at your resort, ask the dive center, and follow official updates posted locally. If you are unsure, assume closed means closed until you get a clear reopening time.
Do boats and submarines face the same rules? These are separate safety regimes. Vessel operators follow maritime guidelines and weather advisories while beach rules cover swimmers and snorkelers. Both sets of rules can change on short notice.
Bottom line
Egypt’s Red Sea resorts are adapting in real time to keep people and wildlife apart. The tracker you are reading is designed to help that process by documenting confirmed incidents, listing closures that actually apply on the ground, and highlighting the simple behaviors that reduce risk. The water is a shared space. With clear rules, clean practices, and quick communication, visitors can keep enjoying the reefs while authorities do the unglamorous work of supervision, patrol, and reopening on schedule.
