Woman in critical condition after being bitten by shark at NYC beach
NYC Parks said 'shark bites in Rockaway are extremely rare.'
ROCKAWAY BEACH, New York -- A 65-year-old New York City woman has been upgraded from critical to stable condition after she was bitten by a shark at Rockaway Beach in Queens, hospital officials said.
The woman was swimming at Beach 59th Street around 5:50 p.m. Monday when she was bitten on the left leg, according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
She's expected to recover, hospital officials said.
Following the attack, lifeguards at Beach 59th Street cleared everyone from the water.
The New York Police Department used a helicopter to survey the area but no sharks were spotted, according to NYC Parks.
NYC Parks said in a statement that "shark bites in Rockaway are extremely rare," adding, "We remain vigilant in monitoring the beach and always clear the water when a shark is spotted."
Rockaway Beach will be closed on Tuesday as a safety precaution, the parks department said.
"Parks Enforcement & NYPD will be on patrol to keep swimmers out of the water" and the "FDNY & NYPD will be doing aerial surveillance to monitor for sharks," the department said.
