Three months ago, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to deploy 10 new drones to patrol the shores and watch for sharks. But even with that added layer of protection, a 50-year-old woman was bitten off Rockaway Beach Monday and is listed in critical condition.
The attack shows the difficulty in protecting swimmers from the oft-feared (but largely misunderstood) sea creatures. The 10 drones launched this year joined a number of existing surveillance devices, including eight existing drones, watercraft and helicopters, meant to keep a close watch on the waters.
Even spotting the shark responsible for the incident this week has proved challenging. Lifeguards cleared all swimmers from the water, while police used a helicopter to search the area for sharks but they did not find any, the parks department said.
Shark bites are rare—and officials say the recent one at Rockaway Beach was the first in recent memory. There have been five shark bites at Long Island beaches this summer, however. They’re becoming more of a worry for New York officials, though, as the number of sharks spotted off the state’s shores has been increasing in recent years.
New York authorities have been using drones for the past two years to look for environmental conditions that could indicate shark activity. Last July, officials reported five shark attacks off Long Island in two weeks, though none of the victims was seriously injured.
Whenever drones spot a shark in an area, swimming is suspended at state park beaches in the area for at least one hour. The sighting is also referred to the Long Island Coastal Awareness Group. One of the new drones operating this summer is also capable of dropping a personal flotation device, in case of an emergency.
