A 57-year-old German tourist died after being bitten by a cobra during a snake charming performance in Hurghada, Egypt, according to a spokesman for the Memmingen public prosecutor's office. The incident occurred in early April when the snake charmer allowed the cobra to crawl up the tourist's trouser leg during the show, the spokesman said. The tourist was bitten by the snake and showed clear signs of poisoning, the spokesman stated, before going into cardiac arrest and dying in hospital after resuscitation attempts.
The public prosecutor's office and criminal police in Memmingen have opened an investigation into the death, the spokesman confirmed. The inquiry is being conducted openly and is not currently focused on any specific individual, including the snake charmer. The spokesman added that the results of a toxicological examination are still pending.
The exact species of cobra has not been officially confirmed, the identity of the victim has not been released, and it remains unclear what safety measures were in place during the show. Authorities have not disclosed the name of the hospital where he was treated.