Swimmer Bitten by Suspected Shark at New York Beach, Foot Left ‘Torn Open’ With Bone Exposed

A swimmer was hospitalized after suffering a suspected shark bite at New York’s Jones Beach State Park on Friday, triggering a temporary beach closure just one day after multiple shark sightings forced swimmers out of the water at nearby beaches.

The incident occurred around noon at Field 6 of Jones Beach, where the swimmer sustained lacerations to the foot while in the ocean.

Lifeguards rushed to assist the victim before emergency crews transported the individual to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to officials.

“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’,” lifeguard Kate Maio, who treated the injured man, said, according to the Sun. She added that the victim’s skin was torn and the white bone was exposed.

Authorities immediately cleared the water and suspended swimming while marine patrols searched the area for sharks and other potential hazards.

Beach reopens after safety search

Swimming resumed roughly an hour later after officials completed their search, but access to the water was initially limited to waist-deep areas as an added precaution.

Officials have not confirmed what species was involved, and the incident remains under investigation.

Jones Beach officials said lifeguards responded immediately after the swimmer emerged from the water with injuries.

“The injured beachgoer was taken to the hospital for treatment,” The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said, adding that swimming was halted while authorities searched for sharks.

Follows multiple shark sightings around New York beaches

The suspected attack comes amid heightened shark activity along New York’s coastline during the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend.

On Thursday, an approximately 8-foot shark was spotted off Point Lookout on Long Island, prompting lifeguards to order swimmers out of the water. In contrast, shark patrol teams used drones and watercraft to monitor the area.

Around the same time, officials also reported shark sightings at Rockaway Beach in Queens, resulting in intermittent beach closures as a precaution.

No injuries were reported in those incidents.

The twin incidents occurred as soaring temperatures drew large crowds to New York-area beaches, increasing the number of people in the water during peak shark migration season.

Officials have urged beachgoers to follow lifeguard instructions and immediately leave the water if sharks are spotted.

Shark encounters remain rare

While shark sightings have become more common in recent years, experts say serious attacks remain uncommon.

Marine officials have attributed the increase in reported sightings in part to expanded drone surveillance and healthier marine ecosystems that have brought more bait fish and, in turn, sharks closer to shore.

Authorities continue to advise swimmers to stay near lifeguards, avoid schools of fish, and exit the water if marine wildlife is observed nearby.