A 69-year-old swimmer, who was attacked by a deadly tiger shark in a quadruple attack, fought off the monster by poking his fingers into its eyes.
A retired dentist fought off a monstrous tiger shark by stabbing it in the eye after witnessing the monster maul another man to death in front of him.
Pepino Fabani, 69, was swimming at the five-star Sataya Marsa Alam resort in Egypt when the horrific encounter occurred.
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European Union diplomat Gianluca De Gioia was diving near shore when he drowned He was attacked by a shark.
The 48-year-old tragically died from his injuries despite Fabani’s heroics in trying to save him.
The brave Italian rushed to Di Gioia’s aid while he was clinging to the buoy on December 29.
Describing the events, he said: “I saw the wife screaming and heading towards the sidewalk.
“I didn’t understand what was happening, but I was the closest.”
As he swam close by, the shark launched its terrifying attack, fatally striking De Gioia.
“I was about five meters away from him and then I said ‘Bam!’ “The attack was devastating,” he said. Telegraph.
The shark then turned on Mr Fabani, who remembered advice from a guide about targeting the monster’s eyes.
“I managed to force my middle finger into his left eye three times, causing him pain. But he kept coming back.”
During the fourth attack, staff from the dive center arrived with a rubber dinghy and attempted to pull him aboard.
“He grabbed my right leg and wouldn’t let me pull me up. This shark wanted to kill me,” Mr. Fabani said.
The diving crew repeatedly hit the shark with an iron bar until it let go.
The retired dentist believed the shark was a tiger shark, although authorities identified it as a shortfin mako shark.
“I saw it up close as it was underneath me and inside me opinion“It was a tiger shark,” he said.
Mr Fabani suffered serious injuries to his right leg, hand and arm, requiring dozens of stitches.
He is now recovering in his hometown of Soncino, northern Italy.
“My holiday was tragically cut short, but I survived. I am very sorry to Gianluca Di Gioia, who was unable to qualify.”
Mr Di Gioia was also pulled from the water but died of his injuries.
“My holiday was tragically cut short, but I survived,” Fabani said. “I am very sorry to Gianluca Di Gioia, who was unable to make it.”
The Egyptian authorities opened an investigation into the attack.
Officials initially claimed the diplomat had strayed outside the designated swimming area, but Mr Fabani insisted the group was within the safe zone and pointed out the lack of anti-shark nets.
The Red Sea has long been a popular location for tourists looking to dive among marine life.
But this is not the first deadly shark attack to hit the area.
A tourist was hacked to death by a pregnant tiger shark in Egypt on June 9, 2023.
Vladimir Popov, 23, was dragged into the water and brutally attacked by the 10-foot monster in Hurghada, north of Marsa Alam.
“Papa,” he shouted as his father, Yuri Popov, watched helplessly from the shore.
The monster was said to have torn off its head and separated parts of its body that were recovered from the sea.
His father later met with Egyptian officials, who agreed to release Vladimir’s remains so that his family could hold a funeral in Russia.
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