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World / Africa

German tourist dies after bit by snake in Egypt: police

Published: 27 Apr 2026 - 08:07 pm | Last Updated: 27 Apr 2026 - 08:13 pm
Photo strictly for representational purposes. Source: freepik

Photo strictly for representational purposes. Source: freepik

AFP

Berlin: A German tourist has died after a snake crawled into his trousers and bit him as he watched a show in Egypt on a family holiday, German police said Monday.

The 57-year-old man was watching the snake-charming show at a hotel in Hurghada, a popular beach holiday destination on the Red Sea, in early April.

The two reptiles involved, thought to be cobras, were draped over the necks of audience members, police in southern Bavaria state said.

"The 'snake charmer' then let one of the snakes crawl into the trousers" of the German man and it bit him in the leg, they said in a statement.

The victim showed "clear signs of poisoning" and had to be resuscitated before being taken to hospital, but he later died, it said.

The man -- who was not named in the statement -- came from the Unterallgaeu district in Bavaria and was on holiday with two relatives.

German police and prosecutors are investigating his death and are awaiting the results of a toxicology test.

When contacted by AFP, Egyptian authorities said they were not aware of the incident.