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Thresher shark washes ashore on Rockaway Beach
A live thresher shark washed ashore and got stranded at Rockaway Beach this week, getting stuck in the shallow waters until people on the beach gave it a nudge back out to sea. FOX 5 NY's Antwan Lewis has the story.
QUEENS - New York City beachgoers found themselves face to face with a live shark at a beach in Queens on Monday.
Video captured by Zoe Berger shows a thresher shark stranded in the sand at Rockaway Beach.
In the video, the shark is seen flopping around fighting to get back into the water.
Zoe Berger via Storyful
Berger says two men and a woman took action, jumping in the water to help guide it back to sea.
One of the men helping, had to hold the shark by its fin and steer it back to the ocean multiple times, according to Zoe.
Zoe Berger via Storyful
Eventually, the shark stayed in the deeper water at the end of the jetty, away from the sand.
Sharks in NYC
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Shark sighting at Rockaway Beach
Parts of Rockaway Beach in Queens were forced to close for hours on Thursday afternoon after a shark was spotted in the waters. FOX 5 NY's Lissette Nuñez has the details.
In August, a shark was spotted in the waters off of Rockaway Beach, leading to a portion of the beach being closed.
While no shark attacks or sightings have been reported so far in 2024, several were reported back in 2023, especially on Long Island.
Since then, the NYPD have deployed their drones in an effort to help keep the public safe.
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Tips to minimize risk of interactions
The NY Department of Environmental Conservation has some tips to minimize the risk of shark interactions:
- Avoid areas with seals;
- Avoid areas with schools of fish, splashing fish, or diving seabirds;
- Avoid swimming at dusk, night, and dawn;
- Avoid murky water;
- Swim, paddle, and surf in groups;
- Stay close to shore, where your feet can touch the bottom; and
- Always follow the instructions of lifeguards and Parks' staff.