A few days before our departure to Sharm El Sheikh, all the media had focused its attention on this location, giving news of a shark attack against some snorkelers. Such an event is so rare that it became headline news in the media around the world.

In reality, much of the information aired was inaccurate, if not actually wrong; it included much speculation, and even attempts to exploit the situation by some commentators for their own purposes. While it is certain that tourists had been attacked in Sharm’s waters, it is difficult to understand the dynamics of the events from a distance standing behind a TV or monitor, especially after successful films have portrayed sharks as a dangerous killer of the seas.
On reaching the location where the incident took place, the beautiful Naama Bay, the news is on everyone's lips, often with the addition of imaginative hypotheses and some truth hidden behind much speculation. We are privileged to be able to meet Hesham Gabr, chairman of CDWS, who is handling this difficult situation, the only official to give us objective information. In the wake of the attack, the best experts in the world have been contacted in order to understand what happened and to study the situation in a scientific manner. Meanwhile, the authorities have closed off some coastal areas to water sports, for a few days monitoring by teams of divers.

In the meantime, we begin organising our diving with Camel Dive Club, one of the most popular dive centers in Naama Bay. Destination: Ras Mohammed, a marine park that offers some of the most beautiful underwater sites in the world, where in the past we have carried out dozens of explorations, both underwater and in the beautiful wilderness of the park. This area is pretty far from where the first attacks took place, but here the presence of sharks, barracuda and many fish makes it very interesting and unique.

With my friend and buddy Massimo Corsico (Dive Master) and other diving instructors, we follow our friend Francesco Pipino among the colorful coral backdrop. The scenery is already spectacular, but we are fortunate to experience two exceptional encounters: a beautiful eagle ray comes towards us, swimming around Massimo. We are still happy and excited about this when, soon after, a beautiful shark arrives and buzzes around us for about ten minutes.
Sharks are beautiful creatures that we have met many times in other seas and, unfortunately, rarely even in this Red Sea area. With its strong body the shark swims sinuously without showing any aggression or fear towards us. It seems curious and probably is. He is the king of the sea and is an honour for us to meet him. We get closer to him than ever before while keeping the group and other people close to protect coral reefs; divers are perhaps more frightened by the reputation that preceded the encounter, than from a dangerous situation happening in reality, which is unlikely. From our close-up view, this shark now appears to be a longimanus, and we recognize in him some signs that lead us to believe that this may be the shark that is sought for the attacks. After a few exciting minutes, the shark turns away and disappears into the blue from where it came.

From left: Marco Daturi, Massimo Corsico, Francesco Pipino

Our dive over, it is time to return to the dive boat with a mixture of applause and celebration that we will remember for a long time, aware that we were very lucky to meet and to be so close to this splendid shark, which we tried unsuccessfully to see again during the following days.

Back at the diving centre, the exchange of information and pictures begins, and the news arrives in Italy. I receive a call from the first interview for a Radio station. A few hours later, our pictures make the first page of the Corriere Della Sera. The same evening, I receive an e-mail from TG5 who are sending a film crew to interview us: we appear on air for two consecutive evenings of the TG5 20.00. This unexpected media interest catches me off guard, but we cannot miss the opportunity to try to make clear that the shark is not normally aggressive and, since we are guests at his house, the least we should do is to bring respect and seek to know him better: the same respect that we must always display with the reef and its inhabitants.
I am very pleased that these media have come to enquire on the spot, and to listen to our opinions, as well as those of other witnesses, tourists and the official statements of CDWS.

In the meantime, the experts suggest some factors may have contributed to the abnormal behavior of the shark that attacked and snorkelers:

• in one or more cases, carcasses of dead animals were disposed of in the surrounding areas

• reduction of natural prey of sharks due to overfishing

• there have been some episodes of feeding close to the reef, of fish and sharks

• there has been an unusual increase in water temperature in the area of Sharm El Sheikh

These first cases will still be verified by a prolonged study by scholars and Egyptian authorities.


Personal consideration

I never imagined that an event as possible and natural, though dramatic, could create so much chaos at all levels. This is not ‘new’ news that sharks can attack humans, but recorded cases are statistically limited and it is surprising that they should cause so much fuss. Roads, work, crime, drugs, attacks by other pets cause far more fatalities than shark attacks, yet the latter often give rise, as in this case, to sensationalism and the spreading of unnecessary fear between people.
I witnessed first hand the management of a complicated situation, a confrontation between the interests of tourism, media and security. I also witnessed the excellent work CDWS (Chamber Of Diving and Water Sports of Egypt) and the President Hesham Gabr.

Images

The morning before leaving I decided to give up the wide angle to test a new door for macro underwater, so I found myself unprepared to photograph decently our friend that we stumbled upon.

Some Evidence and considerations for friends

• Massimo Corsico (lecturer at the University of Pavia and dive guide): "For us divers, the sighting of a shark is a prize the sea gives us to reward us for the time, love and dedication we have for it. Shark and Yolanda reefs are already one of the best diving spots in the world. Then to come across an example of this species that is so exceptional for many reasons, plus the possibility to stay with him for ten minutes, makes it the best dive of my life. The emotion is incredible."
   

• Francesca Zambonin (Lawyer – IlTuoLegale.it) - "We travel all over the world, and dive in search of sharks, which for us divers are a great attraction. In all the opportunities we had to see them, we never had any fear neither have they ever shown an aggressive attitude towards us. So I was very affected by the events of Sharm, which themselves must be seen as totally anomalous and isolated cases. "
   

• Francesco Pipino (scuba instructor and guide at Camel Dive Club) - "Far from being intimidated by the encounter, I feel lucky to have had the privilege of spending ten minutes just a few inches from the snout of this wonderful creature. I thank the divers in my group for all maintaining a calm demeanour, allowing us to have a longer encounter with this shark. "
   

• Simone Pelucchi (General Manager Camel Dive Club) – A team of experts from the U.S. is considering the material available, pending more precise information, in order to decide how to proceed. This is an anomalous situation without precedent. Most dive sites are open for experienced divers.

Author: Marco Daturi
Thanks for the translation and the support: Clare Mucklow

It is absolutely forbidden to reproduce, even partial, of the text in this article without permission.

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