A RETIRED dentist has fought off a savage tiger shark by jabbing it in the eye after witnessing the beast maul another man to death in front of him.
Peppino Fappani, 69, was swimming at the five-star Sataya Marsa Alam resort in Egypt when the horror encounter unfolded.
EU diplomat Gianluca Di Gioia was snorkelling close to the shoreline when he was attacked by the shark.
The 48-year-old tragically died from his bite wounds despite Fappani’s heroics in trying to save him.
The brave Italian rushed to help Di Gioia while holding onto a buoy on December 29.
Describing the events he said: “I saw the wife, who was yelling and coming toward the dock.
“I didn’t understand what was happening, but I was the closest one.”
As he swam closer, the shark launched its terrifying attack and fatally struck Di Gioia.
“I was about five metres from him, and then, ‘Bam!’ …and the attack was devastating,” he told The Telegraph.
The shark then turned on Mr Fappani, who recalled advice from a guide about targeting the beast’s eyes.
“I was able to stick my middle finger hard in his left eye three times, causing him pain. But he kept coming back,” he said.
During a fourth lunging attack, employees from the dive centre arrived with a rubber dinghy and tried to pull him aboard.
“He grabbed onto my right leg and wouldn’t let me be pulled up. That shark wanted to kill me,” Mr. Fappani said.
The diving staff repeatedly struck the shark with an iron bar until it let go.
The retired dentist believes the shark was a tiger shark, though authorities have identified it as a mako shortfin.
“I saw it up close as it was under me, and in my opinion, it was a tiger shark,” he said.
Mr Fappani suffered severe injuries to his right leg, hand, and arm, requiring dozens of stitches.
He is now recovering in his hometown of Soncino, northern Italy.
“My vacation was cut tragically short, but I survived. I am just very sorry for Gianluca Di Gioia, who didn’t make it,” he said.
Mr Di Gioia was also pulled from the water but succumbed to his injuries.
Fappani said: “My vacation was cut tragically short, but I survived. I am just very sorry for Gianluca Di Gioia, who didn’t make it.”
Egyptian authorities have launched an inquiry into the attack.
The diplomat was said to have gone beyond the allocated swimming zone according to officials, but Mr. Fappani disputes this, stating that the group was actually within the safe boundaries. He also highlighted the absence of any anti-shark nets in the vicinity.
The Red Sea has long been a popular locations for tourists looking to dive among marine life.
But this is not the first deadly shark attack to hit the region.
One tourist was mauled to death by a pregnant tiger shark in Egypt on June 9, 2023.
Vladimir Popov, 23, was dragged into the water and savaged by the 10ft-long beast in Hurghada, north of Marsa Alam.
He screamed “papa” as his father Yury Popov watched helplessly from the shore.
The beast was said to have torn his head off and separated body parts which were retrieved from the sea.
His father later met with Egyptian officials who agreed to release Vladimir’s remains so his family could hold a funeral in Russia.
