4th swimmer bit in Long Island waters has officials on shark watch

Long Island officials are extra alert at a handful of beaches after shark bites put beachgoers on edge over the long holiday weekend.

The first bites were reported on Monday, but have continued well into the Tuesday holiday, according to officials up and down the coastline. Between the two days, four people have suffered bites while swimming at different beaches.

Two teenagers were wounded on the first day of animal altercations, but only one was confirmed as a shark bite. Twenty-four hours later, police reported two men in their 40s suffered presumed shark bites around 2 p.m.

Officials said a 47-year-old was in chest-deep water Tuesday afternoon off Quogue Village Beach when he was suffered a bite on his right knee. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he was being treated. A shark was not observed, but police said the bite came form a “large marine animal.”

The second bite, occurring at roughly the same time but far down the coast, was off Fire Island Pines. Police said a 49-year-old man was bit on the right hand.

The previous days bites were reported down the coast at two different beaches, Robert Moses and Kismet, where crowds had packed in for a hot, humid day.

A 15-year-old girl was reportedly bit by something in the water at Robert Moses Beach shortly before 2 p.m. She was said to have three small wounds on her left leg.

The regional park commissioner said the girl could not identify exactly what bit her. As part of their investigation, officials launched a drone but could not find any sharks visible in the water.

“We noticed the lifeguards started getting everybody out of the water and they closed the beach for about 30 minutes, and then we started hearing from other people that they think somebody got bit by a baby shark,” said beachgoer George Segura.

Approximately three hours later, and a few miles down the shore at Kismet Beach, a 15-year-old boy who police say was surfing suffered a shark bite on his left foot.

A good Samaritan responded and brought him to the hospital; the boy’s heel and toes were still intact.

Both teenagers were said to be recovering late Monday night.

The park commissioner said drone patrols will continue the next day, July 4, at both beaches, where crowds are expected to pack in for the summer holiday.