11 drown off Egypt's 'Shore of Death'

Garbage creeps towards the shore at Stanley Beach in Alexandria, Egypt. Authorities say that 11 people drowned off the coast of northern Egypt on Friday, July 10, 2020, at a beach known for its rocky jetty and fast-moving waters. File picture: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Garbage creeps towards the shore at Stanley Beach in Alexandria, Egypt. Authorities say that 11 people drowned off the coast of northern Egypt on Friday, July 10, 2020, at a beach known for its rocky jetty and fast-moving waters. File picture: Maya Alleruzzo/AP

Published Jul 11, 2020

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Cairo - Egyptian prosecutors summoned officials in charge of a

beach in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria on Saturday, a day

after at least 11 people drowned there.

The incident took place off Alexandria's Palm Beach, dubbed the

"Shore of Death" due to its rocks and choppy waves that have been

blamed for a series of drownings in recent years.

The beach officials are to be questioned to determine who is

responsible for the incident, the online edition of state-owned

newspaper al-Ahram reported without further details.

Seven of the bodies have been recovered from waters as rescue teams

continue searching for the others, privately onwned newspaper

al-Watan reported.

Those retrieved included the bodies of a 14-year-old boy and a woman,

it added.

Beaches across Egypt have been shut down since March as part of

government measures to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Alexandria authorities said the incident happened after a group of

people went to the beach early in the morning in violation of the

ban to avoid being caught by security guards.

A boy then drowned, prompting others to jump into the waters in an an

attempt to rescue him, but some of them also died, the governmental

Central Administration for Tourism and Resorts.

"The administration appeals to citizens to comply with the

government's instructions of avoid going to beaches for their

safety," it added in a statement.

Alexandria is a popular summer destination that usually attracts

thousands from around Egypt seeking to beat the summer heat.

While having recently loosened many virus-induced restrictions to

boost economy, the Egyptian government has kept beaches closed to

curb the virus spread in this country of nearly 100 million people. 

dpa

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