Suffolk County, New York authorities close Long Island Beach after an unprecedented shark attack injuring a Smith Point Beach lifeguard. The official said the incident happened around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday while the lifeguard acted like a victim in a training exercise, AP News reported.
Long Island Sound
Shark Attacks a Lifeguard in New York
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said the shark bit the lifeguard in the chest and on the hand. The official estimated the shark to be between four and five feet long but has not yet identified the shark species.
According to Bellone, the officials involved in the training brought him to a hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. The lifeguard is expected to recover soon.
According to Bellone, the victim is a 10-year veteran in the county and was in very good spirits.
"If you're going to have an encounter with a shark, this is probably the best scenario you could have," Bellone said. "We have never had an incident like this occur. Hopefully, we never will again.
Baloney confirmed a shark sighting after the incident. However, it was unclear if the same shark attacked the lifeguard.
Due to what county officials described as an unprecedented attack, the beaches were closed. It reopens 10 a.m. Monday.
ALSO READ: 60-Year-Old Retired Professor Suffers Broken Femur, Injured Stomach and Leg After a Rare Shark Attack in California
Previous NY Shark Attacks
In July 2018, NY Islip officials confirmed that one of the two kids was bitten by a shark off New York's Fire Island. The official said that the tooth fragment found in a 13-year-old boy's leg was consistent with a shark's tooth. However, the officials were unable to identify the shark's species.
A few minutes before the shark attack on the boy, a 12-year-old girl was bitten at Sailors Haven beach. However, it was unclear whether the fish bit the girl was also a shark.
The state of Massachusetts also recorded a shark attack when a man was bitten in the water of a Cape Cod beach. Unfortunately, the man died later at a hospital. It was the state's first deadly shark attack in more than 80 years.
New York Prepares After Shark Sighting in the Ocean
The New York coastline anticipates a rapid increase of sharks because of the warmer ocean temperatures.
In preparation for the citing, the government expanded the scope of its drone program intended to track the sharks. According to Newsday, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation purchased two additional drones over the winter and trained eight new operators. Three additional drones were expected to be added and 10 more operators.
Sharks were reported to be moving north to polar waters earlier than usual, according to scientists. They were also drawn because of the resurgence of the bunker fish population that lowers them to the area waters.
Shark Week host and conservation biologist Craig O'Connell wrote in an email to the newspaper that he often saw sharks directly in the surf or beyond the waves. He said that the sharks utilize areas that have optimal temperatures and ample prey supply.
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