A marine biologist has confirmed that two different sharks were responsible for the recent spate of attacks in the Red Sea close to the popular tourist resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. George Burgess, an expert on sharks from the US, said two of the attacks were carried out by one species and the rest by another. On Sunday an elderly German woman swimming close to the shore was savagely attacked and killed by what is believed to have been an oceanic white tip.

Mr Burgess said the attacks were extremely unusual and blamed environmental factors. Over fishing in the area could be one reason why sharks are venturing closer into the shore. Another possibility is that the creatures have been lured into the area after a cargo ship dumped sheep and cow carcasses over board.

Many of the beaches in the area have been closed off to swimmers and the authorities in Egypt are likely to be panicking about what this will do to the valuable tourist industry along the Red Sea coast.

Mr Burgess said a team of investigators had ruled out the existence of a rogue shark patrolling the waters in search of its next human victim. He added that it was the rational behaviour of an animal in search of food and that a shark hunt would be absolutely pointless.

Muhammad Shousha, South Sinai’s governor, claimed that a mako, which had been responsible for some of the attacks, had been caught. However, the oceanic white tip which is said to have mauled the German woman to death is still out there.