A fin in the water, a pair of black eyes, a set of razor-sharp teeth – shark attacks are the stuff of nightmares.

But the reality is that people are far more likely to be killed by a lightning strike or a bee sting.

Last year there were 61 recorded shark attacks, resulting in just five deaths, according to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) from the Florida Museum of Natural History.

“It’s a rare event. You’re more likely to be killed by a bee sting than a shark attack,” said shark expert Jean-Luc Solandt of the Marine Conservation Society.

“The reason why shark attacks are so feared is because it’s a horrible way to go, it’s an environment where we feel uncertain, it’s a big predator and the attacks are sensationalised in the media.

“But if the rumours are true that a cargo ship dumped sheep carcasses in the waters off Sharm el-Sheikh that would be a great shark bait.

“There would be more sharks about in a higher state of predation ready to attack.”

There are three main types of unprovoked shark attack – hit and run attacks, bump and bite attacks and sneak attacks, according to ISAF.

In hit and run attacks, sharks in the “surf zone” mistakenly attack swimmers or surfers, before swimming away when they realise the human is not normal prey.

Victims usually escape with non life-threatening injuries, such as lacerations to the leg.

Bump and bite and sneak attacks are less common but result in more fatalities, with the animal either circling and bumping the victim or striking without warning.

These attacks may be the result of antagonistic behaviour or when the sharks smell blood and are in an increased feeding state.

“The first way they find out about their prey is to ram them or glance them and come closer,” said Dr Solandt.

“The second way is to take a bite. But if they don’t like it they don’t chew it off.

“If you see a shark, my advice is to remain steady and calm. Look at it. Don’t swim as fast as you can to shore. It’s like a face off.”

While there are about 400 species of shark only handful are associated with attacks on humans.