The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism decided on Friday to extend the closure of Sharm al-Sheikh's beaches for another 24 hours as divers continue their search for sharks. Three Russian tourists were attacked and seriously injured by two sharks a few days ago. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency said Ras Mohamed--located at the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula-- has been made open to tourists free of charge, which has led to considerable overcrowding there. Hesham Gabr, chairperson of the Chamber of Diving and Water Sports, said his chamber has sent out 40 divers divided into six groups to comb the water for sharks. Gabr added that these groups also include photographers who will take shots of the combed areas. In statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Gabr added that so far no new sharks have been found other than the two that caused the incident. Gabr called on concerned authorities to stop overfishing and other environmental violations, adding that his chamber reports any violations. Mohamed Salem, director general for the governorate's protectorates, said another team of 12 divers is combing Sharm al-Sheikh's waters to prepare a report on the shark incident. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
