© William Bretzger-Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Jones Beach, NY) — Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is announcing heightened safety precautions after a woman at Jones Beach was bitten by a shark. He says, ahead of the July fourth holiday weekend, there’ll be boats, helicopters and drones at county beaches as well as lifeguards and beach patrols.
The shark bite victim, a 20-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries when she was bit on her left foot and leg while swimming in waist-deep water. Marine life experts believe she was nibbled by a young sand tiger shark, a species that’s not normally aggressive but may have mistaken her for prey.
Blakeman is also telling beachgoers that safety is their responsibility, too, including staying hydrated, wearing sunscreen, swimming with a buddy and only where there’s a lifeguard. He also noted that rip tides are the greatest threat, causing 71 drownings across the nation last year.
