Witness account of shark scream

Laura Westcott

The lone woman was snorkelling in shallow water, no more than 20 metres from the Hyatt Regency's private beach. It was about 1pm and her husband had gone to get a drink.

She was swimming in an area surrounded by buoys, where it is supposed to be safe, but most of us decided to stay on shore, even though the Egyptian authorities had give the all-clear.

Suddenly we heard a scream.

"Shark," she shouted.

We looked over and saw a shark about three metres long thrashing her about.

Everybody froze. There were no lifeguards on duty, no weapons at hand to fend off the predator.

A waiter called Abdullah was the first to react, rushing barefoot across the coral to save her.

The shark dropped the German woman and swam off.

Her husband came running, but hotel staff stopped him reaching her. Abdullah carried her body back to the hotel.

We hear the Navy had been sent out to look for the shark, but we have still not been warned to avoid the water.

As of last night, no red flag had been put out.