Sea turtle saved by Egyptian diver

CAIRO – 9 December 2017: An Egyptian diver, Nadime Samir, rescued a sea turtle stuck in a plastic bag in the middle of the Red Sea this week after finding it floating on the surface while on a yacht with a group of tourists, according to El Masry El Youm.

Sea turtles often mistakenly eat plastic bags as they closely resemble them one of their favorite foods, jellyfish. Many people living around the Red Sea are making a concerted effort to reduce waste being dumped or blown into the sea as it damages the marine eco system and results in the death of animals like sea turtles.

Samir jumped in to find that the remnants of a plastic bag surrounded the turtle’s body and neck inhibiting it from swimming so he freed it while one of the tourists took photos. The turtle is a Pacific green sea turtle, belonging to the Cheloniidae family.

Occupancy rates have increased to 65 percent in the Red Sea Governorates' in Egypt as the winter season kicks off, announced Bashar Abou Taleb, head of the Tourist Guides in the Red Sea, on December 2.

The occupancy rate is expected to reach 90 percent during the New Year holidays, said Taleb. People from more than 35 different countries are expected to visit the country this season; most visitors are expected to be from Germany and the United Kingdom.

Taleb affirmed that the occupancy rates this winter season are expected to be better than previous years, noting that Marsa Alam beat Hurghada in the hotel occupancy rates this year for the first time in the history of the governorate.