2 shark attacks in a week off Long Island amplifies safety concerns

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. - Beaches on Long Island, in New York, are on heightened alert after officials say a shark bit a lifeguard who was playing a shark bite victim in a training drill.

It’s the second time in a week.

The 17-year-old lifeguard is okay and needed five stitches on his ankle.

Officials say New Yorkers aren’t the only ones who should beware of sharks this summer.

Shark sightings have increased as the ocean waters warm. There have been 40 reports of shark attacks around the world in 2022. Six of those were deadly.

Experts say while sharks are predatory, they are not malicious. "They really aren’t interested in eating people. We’re not on their menu. They’re interested in, kind of, figuring out what’s going on, finding food," stated Ted Tilkin, with Long Island Aquarium. "And, they don’t have hands. They only have mouths. So, for them to figure out what things are, they do end up biting things a lot as they pass by."

Officials say visitors should watch for any red flags which signal shark sightings and warn of dangerous marine life activity.