Death of 11 dolphins off Red Sea beaches being studied: Official

CAIRO – 15 October 2020: Eleven dolphins were found dead on a Red Sea beach in what is known as the “Cetacean stranding,” a phenomenon that is still under study globally.

Head of Nature Protection Department at the Ministry of Environment Mohamed Salem said that this is a “global phenomenon and is not limited to Egypt,” citing that this is the first time for this phenomenon to occur on Egyptian coasts.

“In 2019, more than 650 dolphins of the same kind were found dead in Egypt, and committed suicide on U.S. and Canadian beaches,” Salem added in a phone call with TV Show “Nine o'clock.”

He explained that the causes of the phenomenon are yet unknown.

Salem continued that in order to reveal the reason behind the incident that occurred in Egypt, all possibilities are being considered, such as illegal fishing.

“It became clear that the site, where the dolphins were found, has a special nature, as it is surrounded by coral reefs except for a very narrow opening. It is expected that these dolphins entered this closed area during the tide period,” he explained.

“Unfortunately, the nature of the area, and the shallow water might be the reason that led to their death,” he added.