An Italian tourist was mauled to death by a shark off the coast of Egypt’s Red Sea — while a heroic stranger was injured while trying to save him, according to reports.
Gianluca Di Gioia, 48, was visiting the popular resort town of Marsa Alam with his family when he was attacked by a shark while swimming on Sunday, Italian newspaper Il Messaggero reported.
Di Gioia, who worked at the European Commission’s Joint Research Center, was swimming about 150 feet past the dock when he was attacked.
Another Italian tourist, Guiseppe Fappani, 69, went over when he heard the cries for help, his daughter Cristina told Corriere Della Sera, saying that the two men did not know each other.
Fappani “was dragged under the water by the shark. That’s when he realized what was happening,” his daughter said. He was hospitalized with minor injuries, she said.
Both men were taken to a hospital in Port Ghalib, around 30 miles north of Marsa Alam, where Di Gioia died from his injuries. Fappani is expected to be discharged Monday, his daughter said.
The attack took place outside the designated swimming zone of the beach in Marsa Alam, which will remain closed during the investigation, according to Egypt’s Environmental Ministry.
While shark attacks in the Red Sea are rare, another tourist was similarly killed by a tiger shark in the Red Sea in June 2023.
Russian national Vladimir Popov, 23, was fatally attacked by a tiger shark in the Red Sea off Hurghada in a vicious killing that was witnessed by a crowd of shocked onlookers.
