Egypt prosecution opens investigation into murder of Coptic priest in Alexandria

Arsanios Wadid, 56, was stabbed to death by a passer-by outside a beach club on the city's corniche

The Mediterranean Sea beach in Alexandria. Victoria Hazou

Egypt’s prosecutor-general opened an investigation into the murder of a Coptic priest in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria on Thursday, prosecutors said.

Egyptian security officials on Thursday evening arrested an elderly man who was seen stabbing the priest to death by several witnesses on the corniche in Alexandria, the Interior Ministry said.

After the attack, which happened in front of a popular beach club in the Sidi Bishr area of Alexandria, the priest was quickly taken to hospital where he died from his wounds.

The assailant, who reportedly ran off after witnesses saw him commit the stabbing, was quickly apprehended by residents in the area and handed over to the police, confirmed the interior ministry.

The deceased was revealed to be Fr Arsanios Wadid, 56, a priest of the Church of the Virgin Mary in Alexandria’s Muharram Bek district.

Forensic reports revealed that one of the three stabbings severed a main artery in Fr Wadid’s neck, which ultimately killed him.

The attack took place while the priest was escorting a group of boys from a beach club and back to a bus parked near by.

Investigations into the attack are under way and the assailant will be questioned to determine the motive behind his attack.