Atlantic beach in New York.
Photo: Mariela Lombard / The NY Journal
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A young Fire Island lifeguard was bitten by a shark yesterday, making it the third similar attack in a week on Long Island, New York.
The rookie guard, identified by News12 as teenager John Mullins, 17, was attacked about 150 feet off the coast of Ocean Beach during a training exercise, Thursday around 11 a.m.
Mullins was playing the part of a victim in the water rescue exercise when he was bitten on the foot by what authorities believe was a sand tiger shark 3 to 5 feet long.
“I didn’t really feel the sting at first,” Mullins stated. “My adrenaline shot right away.” He then described the terror he felt when he thought the shark was still stalking him and he might attack again. “I thought he was following me so I was freaking out,” the teen said.
The other rescuers helped carry him to shore and took him to South Shore University Hospital, where he received a few stitches.
Guards banned swimming at the beach for an hour after the attack. Subsequently, they restricted swimming so bathers could only enter the water up to their waists.
Yesterday’s incident was very similar to shark encounters with swimmers last Sunday and Thursday. Zach Gallo (33), Long Island lifeguard, was bitten by a shark and miraculously managed to beat him with his bare hands, without sustaining major injuries, over the weekend at Smith Point Beach, also during a training exercise in the ocean.
Previously on Thursday A 40-year-old man was bitten on the leg by a possible shark in the waters off Jones Beach.
Last year’s summer, Jones Beach was closed after for two consecutive days sharks were sighted in the area and a lifeguard working on that beach was “potentially” bitten by one.
Also a great white shark of about 900 pounds (almost half a ton) was seen off the coast of Jersey, Delaware and Long Island in June 2021, according to OCEARCH, non-profit shark tracking organization.
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