Italian media reported that Gianluca Di Gioia, an Italian EU diplomat, traveled to Egypt for vacation and was attacked by a shark while diving in the Red Sea, and unfortunately passed away after being sent to the hospital. Another 69-year-old Italian tourist who tried to help Di Gioia escape was injured but not seriously harmed.
According to reports from Italian media outlets such as Corriere Della Sera, Di Gioia, a 48-year-old Roman, had previously worked at the European Commission’s research center and had been working at the European External Action Service (EEAS) since 2012, living in France with his French wife.
It was reported that Di Gioia was vacationing in Marsa Alam, Egypt, and was diving about 50 meters from the shore when he was attacked by a shark or tiger shark and did not survive. The area is a popular diving destination known for its rich marine ecosystem.
Peppino Fappani, another Italian tourist who was diving in the Red Sea, witnessed the accident. Fappani, a 69-year-old dental technician, approached and tried to pull Di Gioia back to the shore, but Di Gioia passed away after losing too much blood from his arm and thigh before being taken to the hospital.
Authorities in Egypt are further investigating the cause of the accident, and it is currently believed that the incident occurred in the “deep water area” outside the designated swimming zone on the beach. The Egyptian authorities will temporarily close the area where the accident occurred for several days. Since the victim was Italian, Italian authorities will also question witnesses and participate in the investigation.
It was reported that Di Gioia went to Egypt for vacation to celebrate his birthday on December 21st with a few family friends, planning to spend the entire Christmas and New Year holiday in Egypt, but the unfortunate incident occurred.
Italy’s state-owned media RAI reported that this was not the first time a tourist had been attacked by sharks in the Red Sea region. In July 2022, an Austrian tourist was bitten to death by a shark in the Red Sea, leading to the temporary closure of some beaches. In June 2023, a Russian tourist was eaten by a shark, and in September of the same year, an Egyptian woman had her arm bitten off by a shark.
RAI reported that following several shark attack incidents in the Red Sea, Egyptian authorities announced the installation of satellite-connected monitoring devices to track shark activity, in order to prevent attacks on divers and swimmers. Government authorities near the Red Sea also required hotels to set up isolation nets along private beaches to ensure a safe distance for swimming and diving, and to prevent predators from approaching tourists.
(Translated from Central News Agency)