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Egypt is home to a number of species of snakes that you do not want to end up on the receiving end of a bite from. That includes the cobras that were viewed as sacred creatures in ancient times, and one of those animals is believed to have been at the center of a tragic incident that led to the death of a German tourist who was attending a show while on vacation.
Ancient Egyptians deified many different animals due to their association with the gods they worshiped, including the cats, jackals, and falcons that litter artifacts and tombs from that era.
There are also the cobras (which most crossword junkies know are commonly referred to as “asps”) that served as the inspiration for the symbol known as “ureus,” which was associated with the goddess Wadjet and adorned the crowns of the pharaohs who ruled over the empire.
Artists have long linked Egyptian cobras (which are native to a number of countries in Northern Africa) with the death of Cleopatra, and while there’s no actual evidence that suggests she committed suicide by snake, it would have been a plausible strategy due to the potency of the venom that can kill a human being.
As a result, you need to take precautions if you’re going to be in their immediate vicinity, but it does not sound like a snake charmer who performed at a resort on the Red Sea took the necessary steps at a show that led to the death of an audience member.
A German tourist died after being bitten by a cobra during a show at a hotel in Egypt
The city of Hurghada is located approximately 250 miles south of Cairo and boasts a sizeable tourism industry fueled by the travelers who flocked to the many resorts and hotels located on the coast of the Red Sea.
According to a press release issued by the Bavarian State Police earlier this week, an unidentified 57-year-old German man headed to Hurghada with two other members of his family at the start of April and stayed at an unnamed hotel where a snake charming show was among the entertainment options they were able to pick from.
That program gave attendees to get the chance to get up close and personal with the cobras that “were placed around the necks of audience members,” but things took a turn when “one of the snakes crawled into the trousers” of the tourist in question before biting his leg.
The venom, which impacts the central nervous system and can lead to respiratory failure, quickly took hold as people attempted to resuscitate him, and he was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital for treatment.
Police in the German town of Memmingen have launched an investigation into the incident (which ABC reports authorities in Egypt claim they have no knowledge of), although it’s unclear what measures they’d be able to take if they determine some sort of crime was committed given the obvious issues of jurisdiction.