The Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is under shark attack, but one British man was thanking his lucky stars after deciding to go snorkelling in the afternoon rather than the morning.

Three tourists have been injured by sharks in three separate attacks, believed to have been carried out by the same shark, a oceanic white tip. As a result almost all water sports have been suspended at the Red Sea resort.

The suspension of diving and water sports applies to all but a small area around Sharm el-Sheikh.

BritIsh man Mike Baker, from Rugby, had a lucky escape yesterday.

He told Small News World Servicce he planned to go snorkeling in the same stretch of sea, just hours after the second attack took place.

Mike said: “We were told, when we returned from lunch, that everyone had been called out of the sea and off the jetty which had now been taped off and red flags had been raised to alert everyone not to go in the water.

“We were told a woman had been attacked and taken to hospital.

“We had planned to go snorkeling later today, so consider our delay to be very fortunate, although we were told for sharks to come in so close to the shoreline in this area, is very rare.”

Attacks by oceanic white tip sharks are extremely rare and shark attacks of any kind are very unusual in the Red Sea.

ARE YOU PLANNING TO GO TO SHARM EL SHEIK? WILL YOU GO SWIMMING?