A woman was attacked by a shark while swimming at a popular New York City beach. Lifeguards saved her using a buoy rope as a tourniquet. The 65-year-old swimmer lost about 20 pounds of flesh in the attack. This is believed to be the first shark bite incident at the beach in 70 years. Natalie Musumeci reported
A photograph depicts a shark attacking a woman while she was swimming at a popular beach in New York City. According to the New York Post, lifeguards acted swiftly and used the rope from a buoy as a tourniquet to save the woman. The victim, who is 65 years old, suffered a significant loss of flesh due to the shark attack. This incident is believed to be the first shark bite in the area in 70 years.
The lifeguards at Queens’ Rockaway Beach demonstrated quick thinking as they heard the woman’s cries for help and immediately rushed into the ocean to rescue her. Chief lifeguard Jose Diaz informed the New York Post that the swimmer was simply relaxing and treading water when she was bitten on her left leg, approximately 10 feet from the shore. The lifeguards swiftly pulled her out of the water and used the rope from a nearby buoy to create a tourniquet and stem the bleeding.
Diaz explained, “Once we saw that she was bitten, we noticed that the blood was flowing profusely. To prevent her from bleeding to death, we used the buoy’s rope as a tourniquet.” The victim, identified as Tatyana Koltunyuk, reportedly lost around 20 pounds of flesh as a result of the attack. Diaz described the severity of the injuries, stating, “She lost a significant amount of blood. The artery was exposed, and we could see her bones. It was an intense situation.”
Diaz, an experienced lifeguard, expressed astonishment at the incident, stating, “We swim in these waters every day, alongside the lifeguards, and we encounter sharks, but they never pose a threat to us. This is the first time something like this has happened. It’s truly bizarre.” Understandably, the incident has instilled fear among beachgoers, and Diaz added, “It’s understandable that people are apprehensive about entering the water now. I don’t blame them.”
The New York City Fire Department reported that paramedics responded to the scene and promptly transported the woman to a local hospital with serious injuries. A spokesperson from the fire department confirmed that the woman’s wounds were consistent with a shark bite. As a safety precaution, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation temporarily closed Rockaway Beach, as this is believed to be the first shark attack at the beach since 1953..
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