Shark Spotted at Rockaway Beach in New York City, Prompting Beach Closures

On a Thursday afternoon, July 11, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) issued a warning to beachgoers after spotting a shark off the coast of a popular beach. The NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry wrote in a post that their drones had sighted a shark at Rockaway Beach. As a result, Beach 58 to Beach 81 at Rockaway Beach, as well as the boardwalk and Beach 64 to Beach 104, were closed following a second shark sighting.

NYPD's Drone Footage

The NYPD drone footage revealed the shark lurking in the shallow, murky waters just beyond the surf break off the beach. The department mentioned that its drones will continue to monitor the water for additional sharks or swimmers in distress. Deputy Commissioner Daughtry emphasized, "Our goal is to keep the public safe, and with new and improving drone technology, we are able to do that."

Shark Incidents in New York

Despite sharks not being common in New York City's waters, there were three shark attacks over two days on Long Island last summer. A 47-year-old man was bitten in chest-deep water off Quogue Village Beach in the Hamptons, followed by a 49-year-old man reporting a hand bite while swimming near Fire Island Pines Beach. Additionally, a 15-year-old female at Robert Moses exited the water with three small puncture wounds on her leg from an unidentified fish, according to the police.

It is worth noting that a shark was spotted in the waters off Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York City, further raising concerns for the safety of beachgoers. The shark sightings occurred as New Yorkers flocked to beaches to beat the heat, with New York City reaching a high of 87 degrees Fahrenheit that day, but it felt like 92, according to FOX Weather.