Fifth Shark Attack In Two Weeks At Long Island Beaches

A fifth shark attack in just two weeks has been reported off the coast of Long Island, including two attacks in one day.

A 49-year-old man from Arizona was bitten at Seaview Beach around 6 p.m. He was “standing in waist-deep water when a shark came up from behind and bit him on the left wrist and buttocks,” according to a statement from Suffolk County Police Department.

The victim was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital via helicopter. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The beach area was shut down following the attack.

About 12 hours before, a 41-year-old paddle boarder was bitten by a shark Wednesday morning near Smith Point Beach. He had punched the shark to break free before he was safely washed ashore.

“He was knocked off his board and then he saw this shark coming back around towards him and at that moment felt very fortunate that a wave came in and helped push him towards the shore,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said in a news release. 

The sharks appear to be inching closer to shore and shark attacks may be “an indication that what we are looking at is something of a new normal,” said Bellone.

The first of the five attacks began on June 30 when a 37-year-old swimmer was bitten on his right foot near Jones Beach. Four days later a lifeguard was bitten and another was attacked out on Fire Island.