CAIRO, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Egyptian conservation workers hunted down and captured two sharks that attacked four divers in the space of two days at a popular Red Sea resort, government officials said on Thursday.
Environment Ministry staff said the sharks matched descriptions made by divers who rescued the three Russians and one Ukrainian after the attacks near Sharm El Sheikh on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The ministry said the shark blamed for the first attack matched a photo taken by a diver minutes before it struck.
"The predator shark is 2.5 metres in length, of grey colour and white abdomen, characterised by sharp teeth ... and by a partial cut to the dorsal fin," a ministry report said.
The oceanic white-tip sharks bit off one diver's hand and caused severe leg and back injuries, officials said. [ID:nLDE6B01P0]
The divers were transferred from Sharm El Sheikh Hospital to the Nasser Institute Hospital in Cairo for treatment.
The Environment Ministry said the 12-member conservation crew caught the first shark near Sharm, which draws divers from across the world to explore its clear waters, abundant coral and exotic fish.
The second was caught later by local state environmental officers.
A swimming ban along part of the coast remained in force.
Egypt's Environment Minister Maged George said the sharks would be examined for research purposes and embalmed for display at a visitor centre in South Sinai. (Writing by Sarah Mikhail; Editing by Jon Hemming)
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