Rockaway Beach.Photo:Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
A woman was hospitalized after being injured Monday in what authorities describe as an “extremely rare” shark attack at a New York beach.
The woman fell backwards into the water after feeling “a sharp pain” in the lower part of her leg, the NYPD said. The bite left “a severe laceration” on her left thigh.
The victim was eventually transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center “in serious but stable condition,” the parks department said.
The NYPD said the woman was 65 years old, while the parks department said she was 50.
In a statement, the parks department said attacks like this “are extremely rare” in Rockaway. “We hope for a full recovery for this swimmer,” they added.
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After the attack, lifeguards ordered all other individuals to exit the water, per the parks department.
Rockaway Beach was closed to both swimming and surfing on Tuesday due to the “recent shark activity.”
In the meantime, the NYPD will help keep swimmers out of the water as well as monitor the water for sharks, according to the parks department. The FDNY will assist in the shark watch, as well.
“We remain vigilant in monitoring the beach and always clear the water when a shark is spotted,” the parks department says.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, according to the police and parks departments.
At least five shark bites have been reported at Long Island beaches this summer, according to theAssociated Press.
source: people.com
