NYC Parks said “shark bites in Rockaway are extremely rare.”
A 50-year-old woman was hospitalized in critical condition after she was bitten by a shark at Rockaway Beach in Queens in New York City, officials said.
The woman was swimming at Beach 59th Street around 5:50 p.m. Monday when she was bitten on the left leg, according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
A view of sign as Rockaway Beach temporarily closed for swimming Saturday due to shark sightings in the area in New York, July 22, 2022.
Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, FILE
Lifeguards quickly removed the woman from the water and gave her first aid. She was taken to Jamaica Hospital, the parks department said. She remained in critical condition, a hospital representative told ABC News on Monday night.
Following the shark attack, lifeguards at Beach 59th Street cleared everyone from the water. The New York Police Department used a helicopter to survey the area but no sharks were spotted, according to NYC Parks.
A view of sign as Rockaway Beach temporarily closed for swimming Saturday due to shark sightings in the area in New York, July 22, 2022.
Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, FILE
NYC Parks said in a statement that “shark bites in Rockaway are extremely rare,” adding, “We remain vigilant in monitoring the beach and always clear the water when a shark is spotted.”
Rockaway Beach will be closed on Tuesday as a safety precaution, the parks department said.
“Parks Enforcement & NYPD will be on patrol to keep swimmers out of the water” and the “FDNY & NYPD will be doing aerial surveillance to monitor for sharks,” the department said.
