SHARM EL-SHEIKH - Egyptian authorities have ordered reopening beaches of the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, which were closed on December 5 after shark attacks killed one woman and injured four foreigners. Governor of South Sinai Abdel Fadil Shousha yesterday ordered a conditional opening of all beaches including Naama Bay and Ras Nasrani. "Hotels and resorts along the distance from north Naama Bay to Ras Nasrani should designate areas for swimmers defined by ropes and coloured floating balls. They should have speedboats with rescuers and medics ready on the beach," said a statement issued by South Sinai Governorate. It added that all hotels south of Naama Bay to Ras Om el-Sayyed should also set up high watch towers on the beaches. "Moreover, hotels are required to put warning signs in areas where swimming and snorkeling are not allowed," read the statement. Five shark attacks, in which a 70-year-old German tourist was killed and three Russians and one Ukranian were injured, took place off Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this month. Following the attacks, the Egyptian Tourism Ministry closed all the beaches in the resort. The authorities, meanwhile, warned the resorts and hotels against ignoring the safety regulations. "The hotels are also asked to apply an order not to feed fish. If not, they would be fined LE50,000 for violation," it read. The owners of hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh have been working around the clock to set up steel watch towers, train rescuers and apply other instructions in order to open their beaches for tourists. Under the same decision, surfing and other water sports are allowed. Experts investigating the series of shark attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh, which is one of the world's top diving destinations, have recommended banning the feeding of fish around the resort, among other measures. The experts also mentioned overfishing and climate change as other possible reasons driving sharks closer to shore in search of food.
