A tragic incident occurred on Sunday morning off the stunning shores of Marsa Alam, Egypt, when a shark attack claimed the life of 48-year-old Gianluca Di Gioia, a Roman resident in France. The Egyptian Ministry of Environment commented that the individuals involved were swimming “in deep waters and outside the designated swimming areas.” While Di Gioia was fatally attacked while snorkeling, his friend, 69-year-old Peppino Fappani from Soncino, managed to escape the shark’s grasp after bravely diving in to scare it away. Fappani sustained significant injuries to his arms and legs and underwent surgery but is no longer in critical condition.
An investigation has been launched by the local prosecutor’s office in Qusair, in collaboration with a commission from the Ministry of Environment and the Red Sea governorate, to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack. It is also likely that the Rome prosecutor’s office will open a file due to the involvement of Italian nationals. The area of the sea where the attack occurred will remain closed to swimmers until Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, the Italian Embassy in Cairo is providing consular assistance to both the family of the deceased and the injured survivor. Di Gioia, who held a degree in Economics and Commerce from Sapienza University in Rome, had worked for the European Commission and the European External Action Service since 2012, while Fappani is a dental technician.
Shark attacks are rare along the Egyptian coastline, with recent incidents including a Russian national’s death in Hurghada last June and the fatalities of two tourists in 2022. Other notable incidents involved severe injuries to individuals in 2020 and 2023. Despite these isolated cases, the Red Sea remains a popular destination for New Year’s tourism, particularly for its vibrant coral reefs teeming with tropical fish. Recent reports indicate that approximately 150,000 tourists have arrived at the airports in Hurghada and Marsa Alam, with high hotel occupancy rates benefiting the local economy. However, experts warn that factors such as unregulated construction, overfishing, and irresponsible tourism practices may be disrupting the marine ecosystem and affecting shark behavior.
