Red Sea, two Italian tourists attacked by a shark: 48-year-old Roman died, 69-year-old injured

A 48-year-old Roman tourist, Gianluca Di Gioia, died after being attacked on the morning of Sunday 29 December by a shark in the northern area of Marsa Alam, on the Red Sea. Also involved was a second Italian, Peppino Frappani, a 69-year-old dental technician from Soncino, in the province of Cremona, who was injured while trying to help his compatriot and friend. Frappani is in hospital in Porto Ghalib: his condition is not serious and he could be discharged shortly.

The shark attack took place 'in deep water outside the bathing area', the Egyptian environment ministry specifies on Facebook, locating the stretch of sea north of Marsa Alam. The closure of the area to bathing will be 'for two days starting from this Monday', the ministry specifies.

Born on 21 December 1976 and graduated from the Petrocchi Institute in 1990, Gianluca Di Gioia studied at La Sapienza University in Rome, where he graduated in 1995 with a degree in Economics. He worked at the European Commission's research centre and was employed since 2012 at the European External Action Service - Eeas, the European Union's diplomatic service. On his social profiles the many photos of him around the world, often in seaside locations. And pictures with his French-born wife to whom he had been married since 2013. Di Gioia resided in France.

Shark attacks along the Egyptian Red Sea coast are rare occurrences: one recalls the death in Hurghada of a Russian in June last year and of two female tourists in 2022 (an Austrian and, according to media reports, a British woman). Also in the Red Sea, a young Ukrainian had lost an arm in 2020 and the same fate had befallen an Egyptian woman in September last year in Dahab, on the Sinai coast.

The Red Sea is a popular tourist destination thanks to its coral reefs populated with tropical fish, making it similar to an aquarium that can be enjoyed with just a mask and snorkel. Marine experts warn that poorly regulated construction, overfishing, and irresponsible tourist practices contribute to changes in the ecosystem and shark behaviour, writes the Afp news agency. Also off the coast of Marsa Alam on 25 November, the tourist yacht 'Sea Story' had sunk due to bad weather conditions. The death toll reported by the website of Egypt's leading daily newspaper, Al Ahram, is four dead, seven missing and 33 survivors including a Belgian citizen with dual Italian nationality.