Warning issued to swimmers after string of recent shark attacks on Long Island

Long Island residents and visitors have been warned to be careful when visiting the beach, after at least four people have been injured in what’s believed to be shark attacks over the course of the last month.

Ocean Beach, New York fire chief Ian Levine told CNN on Thursday that “we are telling people that if they are swimming, they need to swim in lifeguard areas. They should only go waist deep and that they should be aware of their surroundings”.

The Long Island peninsula measures more than 120 miles and is located east of New York City. Multiple shark attacks have been reported on Long Island beaches since 3 July.

On Wednesday, a surfer was knocked from his board by a shark at Smith Point County Park beach, according to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. The surfer was bitten on his leg before he struck the shark and rode a wave to the shoreline.

The beach was momentarily shut down as the authorities searched the area for sharks using drones, Mr Bellone said.

Mere hours later, a man was bitten by a shark in waist-high waters off Fire Island after lifeguards had finished their shifts, according to police. The 49-year-old was able to walk out of the water and he was transported to hospital via helicopter.

“He stated that he felt on his side a large animal rubbing against him. He went to move it away and that’s when his hand got bit,” Mr Levine said.

A beach on Fire Island was closed down for a period of time on Thursday after a shark was spotted. After a drone search yielded no sightings, the beach was reopened.

Mr Bellone said that he believes that recent shark activity is “an indication ... that what we’re looking at is something of a new normal in that ... these Tiger sharks are just a little bit closer to shore than they’ve been”.

“They’ve always been out there, of course, you’re interacting with marine life whenever you are out in the ocean, but they’re closer to shore now. And those contacts, those interactions with humans and sharks may increase,” he added.

Two lifeguards were role-playing as victims during a training exercise last month when they were attacked by sharks.

The biting of a lifeguard in the chest and hand during a drill after he had been on the job for a decade led to the brief closing of Smith Point County Park beach on 3 July.

Mr Bellone said at the time that the beach was opened ahead of the 4 July holiday following a drone search.

On 8 July, another man was training for a lifeguard test when he was attacked within a mile of where the attack on Wednesday took place.

“He was actually playing the victim and he was coming out to be rescued and I guess all his thrashing around caused the disturbance,” Mr Levine told CNN.