A swimmer was taken to the hospital with a severe foot injury following a suspected shark attack at Jones Beach State Park on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred during unusually high temperatures and as the area was preparing for Fourth of July celebrations.
The unidentified swimmer was reportedly in the water during a 100-degree heatwave when the attack took place. According to lifeguards, the injury was a deep, single gash on the man's foot, exposing bone.
"He came running over to our lifeguard stand. His foot was bleeding and he was saying, 'I got bit, I got bit! I don't want to look,'" Kate Maio, a lifeguard who treated the victim, told The New York Post. She added that the swimmer described the sensation as a "jaw-biting motion."
Emergency medical services transported the man to Nassau University Medical Center. His injuries are considered non-life-threatening, and he is expected to make a full recovery. The exact species of marine life responsible for the bite remains under investigation.
Lifeguards at the scene theorized that a juvenile sand tiger shark might have been responsible, noting a tooth-like imprint on the victim's foot. Another swimmer reported seeing a fin swimming away shortly after the incident.
The attack prompted an immediate suspension of swimming at the beach. Drones were deployed to monitor the waters for sharks or other marine life. Swimming was later resumed but restricted to waist-deep areas.
This is believed to be the first suspected shark attack at Jones Beach this summer. It follows a series of shark sightings along New York's coast in the preceding days, which led to temporary beach closures. A nine-foot shark was spotted off Point Lookout on Thursday, and bull sharks were reported at Rockaway Beach.
New York state agencies have increased their surveillance efforts, utilizing 46 camera-equipped drones to scan the waters for sharks. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the addition of 16 new drones in May. These measures are part of an effort to enhance safety as warming waters in July and August typically draw sharks and their prey closer to shore.
While shark attacks are rare, averaging about 25 nationally per year with one fatality, experts suggest sharks can mistake human limbs for fish. The incident at Jones Beach occurred near a designated swimming area, close to where fishermen set up along the shore.