Are there sharks in the Red Sea and are they dangerous for swimmers?

At Jasmine beach (late May) there are protective shark nets — after a shark incident the net was raised half a meter above the water, and no holes were found in it.

Statistically, shark attacks are more common in Sharm el-Sheikh because it has open sea and deep water close to shore. Hurghada is safer due to numerous islands off the coast. Hurghada's reefs start near Sahl Hasheesh, continuing to Makadi and Safaga.

Last year a swimmer encountered a shark in the Red Sea — the incident was caught on video but ended without injury. It's advisable to swim when divers are also in the water as an added safety measure.

Sharks are present in the Red Sea but stay in deep water and avoid reefs. Coastal zones near Sharm el-Sheikh and Marsa Alam are calm. One isolated attack did occur, but the shark was caught immediately afterward.

Past shark attacks in the Red Sea were linked to animal carcasses (sheep) being thrown overboard during Ramadan, which attracted predators to shore. These incidents recurred over several years in June and early July. Sharks naturally prefer fish and do not hunt humans — following basic water safety rules is the key precaution.