A severe incident unfolded on Monday as a woman became a victim of a shark attack near Rockaway Beach, a renowned attraction along New York City’s Atlantic coastline, according to official sources.
The attack transpired at approximately 5:49 p.m. in the waters near 59th Street, as relayed by the New York Police Department’s public information office.
The individual, identified as a 50-year-old female swimmer, sustained critical injuries and was swiftly transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. As of late Monday night, her condition remained critical, as stated by Michael Hinck, a spokesperson for the medical center.
The Department of Parks and Recreation for the city revealed that the woman suffered a bite on her left leg while swimming. Subsequent to the attack, lifeguards promptly cleared the beach, and a helicopter-assisted search by law enforcement failed to locate the shark, as confirmed in an official statement from the parks department.
In response to the incident, Rockaway Beach will have a delayed opening on Tuesday, with a tentative commencement time of 11 a.m. This delay is to facilitate ongoing shark monitoring efforts by authorities in the area, as outlined by the parks department.
“While our thoughts are with the injured swimmer and we hope for her complete recovery, it is important to emphasize that shark encounters at Rockaway are exceedingly rare,” asserted the parks department.

Recent records indicate that a cluster of shark attacks occurred northeast of Rockaway a month prior. Incidents were documented in the waters off Fire Island, Quogue, a village on Long Island, and Babylon, New York.
Notably, sand tiger sharks, which can attain lengths of up to 10 feet, have been observed in higher numbers along the Long Island shoreline this summer. Experts at the Florida Museum’s International Shark Attack File have attributed their presence to an attraction to the local bays and the abundant baitfish population.
You can also read: Former Kinks Keyboardist John Gosling Passes Away at 75
In a report from the previous year, the file highlighted that New York state had documented eight out of the total 20 shark attacks reported since 1837 in 2022.