Sharm al-Sheikh--The Chamber for Diving and Water Sports announced the resumption of diving activities for professionals on Tuesday, following an eight-day closure that was prompted by four separate shark attacks, one taking the life of a German tourist. Four persons were attacked on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday of last week. All were snorkellers and swimmers but not divers. In the last attack, a shark ripped apart a 70-year-old German woman snorkeller on Sunday as horrified holidaymakers looked on, just days after three Russians and one Ukrainian were also mauled. In interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm, Hesham Gabr, chairman of the Egyptian Chamber for Diving and Water Sports, announced that all areas for diving in Sharm al-Sheikh will be open to experienced divers with at least 50 logged dives, with the exception of the area between North Naema Bay and Ras Nasrani. All other diving activities, including beginners diving and diving courses, have been moved to Dahab. Gabr noted that a survey of much of the coastline conducted by a host of volunteer divers who did not find anything out of the ordinary. Most beaches remain closed for general swimming activities, with the exception of Nabae Protectorate, Nabae Area, and Ras Mohamed, where the reef enclosing the swimming area is too high for any sharks to pass through. Gabr noted that a host of foreign experts are arriving in the resort area within the next few hours to conduct their research for an unspecified period of time. "They will have to talk to eye witnesses, divers, doctors, local experts, marine biologists and more before releasing any information, so that they can work freely. I cannot tell you how long this will take." Gabr also thanked the Ministry of Electricity for providing a boat to help experts conduct a sweep of the ocean floor.
