A 23-year-old Russian man, Vladimir Popov, was seen in horrifying videos that emerged online being eaten alive and maulted to death by a tiger shark at the Red Sea resorts in Egypt.
Disturbing footage captured from the beach portrays the horrifying moments as the man screamed “papa” while being attacked. This incident has prompted the closure of a significant stretch of coastline by Egyptian authorities.
The victim, a 23-year-old Russian national named Vladimir Popov, had been enjoying a swim in the waters near his resort close to the city of Hurghada.
Suddenly, a tiger shark emerged from beneath the water’s surface and seized him, subjecting him to a vicious attack. The sheer brutality of the incident forced the Egyptian authorities to impose a closure on a 74-kilometer section of the coastline, with the restriction set to remain in effect until Sunday.
Vladimir’s father, who witnessed the attack from the shore, shared his harrowing experience. Mr. Popov expressed how they had come to the beach seeking relaxation.
He recounted the horrifying incident, saying, “My son was attacked by a shark; it all happened in seconds. What kind of help can you give? This meat grinder happened in 20 seconds; he was just dragged under the water.”
The grieving father also mentioned the unusual nature of the attack, as the beach was considered safe, with the presence of ships and yachts. He expressed his disbelief, stating, “It’s never happened there. They usually attack on wild beaches. It’s just some kind of evil fate.”
A nearly minute-long video capturing the brutal shark attack circulated on various platforms. The footage shows the victim being abruptly pulled underwater by the shark, resurfacing momentarily to desperately fend off the predator.
The water around him soon turned red, indicating the severity of the attack. Throughout the video, the victim can be heard screaming “papa” and crying out loudly as the shark continues to circle and launch further assaults. At one point, a witness remarks, “It is eating his remains now,” while a small ship sails in the distance.
Following the incident, Egypt’s environment ministry took immediate action. They managed to capture the shark responsible for the attack and transported it to a laboratory for examination. The aim is to determine the underlying factors that led to this rare and tragic event. Images shared on social media depict the lifeless, bloodied shark lying on a sheet of land.
Shark attacks are infrequent in the coastal regions of the Red Sea. In 2022, two fatal attacks occurred in Hurghada within days, claiming the lives of an Austrian and a Romanian tourist.
Tiger sharks, known for their size, inhabit tropical and temperate waters and have been frequently mentioned by the International Shark Attack File in relation to unprovoked attacks on humans.
You can watch the video here. (Warning: Graphic content, viewer discretion is advised)