On the eve of America’s Independence Day, two teenage beachgoers experienced the fright of their lives when they sustained injuries from marine bites in the Long Island waters. Officials have confirmed one of the bites as a shark attack, leading to a surge in alertness at several local beaches.
The twin episodes unfolded on a blisteringly hot and suffocatingly humid Monday at Robert Moses and Kismet beaches, both brimming with sun-seekers.
The initial bite incident was reported shy of 2:00 a.m. at Robert Moses Beach. A 15-year-old girl was allegedly bitten by something lurking in the ocean depths. She reportedly sustained three minor wounds on her left leg.
The park commissioner revealed that the young girl could not pinpoint what had bitten her. Officials promptly set a drone aloft as part of their investigation, but it failed to spot any sharks within the vicinity.
“We suddenly saw the lifeguards rallying people out of the water. The beach was closed for around half an hour, and that’s when we started hearing murmurs about a suspected baby shark bite,” recounted George Segura, one of the beachgoers.
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Roughly three hours after the first episode, another alarming incident occurred a few miles offshore at Kismet Beach. A 15-year-old boy, who police identified as a surfer, seemed to have been bitten by a shark on his left foot.
A benevolent passerby quickly intervened, rushing the young boy to the hospital. Despite the ordeal, his heel and toes were mercifully unscathed.
As of Monday evening, both teenagers were in recovery.
In light of these incidents, the park commissioner affirmed that drone patrols would persist on both beaches come July 4. An influx of visitors is anticipated as they gather to commemorate U.S. Independence Day.