A German tourist has died after being bitten by a snake while on vacation in Egypt, authorities said.
German police said the 57-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, was bitten by the snake earlier this month while on holiday with his family and attending a snake charmer show. The exact date of the incident was not disclosed.
The family of three from Germany’s Unterallgäu region were staying at the holiday resort of Hurghada on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, a Bavarian police press release confirmed on Monday.
During their stay, they attended a show that was part of the hotel’s entertainment program. Police said two snakes, believed to be cobras, were involved in the incident, and the “scammer” had hung them around the necks of audience members.
However, the deadly incident appears to have occurred when one of the snakes got inside the German tourist’s clothing, according to a police statement.
“One of the snakes burrowed into the pants of a 57-year-old man, resulting in a bite wound on the leg of a German tourist,” the statement said. “He then showed obvious signs of intoxication and required resuscitation.”
The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
Memmingen Criminal Police Station has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the man’s death, and toxicology test results are not yet available, officials said.
According to the World Health Organization, about 81,000 to 138,000 people die from snakebites around the world each year, and about three times as many result in amputations or other permanent disabilities.
CNN has contacted Egyptian authorities about the incident.
CNN’s Sebastian Shukla, Stephanie Halasz and Nadeen Ebrahim contributed to this report.
