A teenager who became the sixth person to be attacked by a shark off New York’s Long Island in recent weeks has recalled his terrifying ordeal.
Max Haynes, of Islip, said he suffered a minor bite on his foot on Wednesday evening when he was attacked by a shark off Fire Island, he told Local12 News.
The 16-year-old was sitting on his surfboard when he said a shark bit his foot about 20 yards from the beach at Kismet, a town on the western end of Fire Island.
The thin strip of land runs parallel to Long Island, and at least six shark attacks have been reported in recent weeks, as NBC New York tallied.
“Basically I was just sitting there in the water with my legs dangling in the water, trying to catch a few waves,” said Max, “but then out of nowhere this thing latched onto my foot and I held on hold on for a few seconds, it was just crazy.”
The teenager was able to walk out of the water and was taken to a medical centre for minor treatment with the help of a good samaritan in West Islip, about seven miles away.
Max added to the Long Island news station that he will be back in the water with his surfboard “as soon as possible”.
On Monday, New York governor Kathy Hochul ordered local officials and agencies to bolster the patrol of beaches and increase cooperation to prevent further people being attacked.
The number of drones and lifeguards patrolling beaches has also risen.
Speaking at a recent news briefing, Suffolk County executive Steve Bellone said sharks appeared to be coming closer to the shore and that the attacks could be “an indication that what we are looking at is something of a new normal,” NBC News reported.
Those injured by sharks since 30 June include a 57-year-old swimmer off Jones Beach in Nassau County, a lifeguard off Smith Point on 4 July, another lifeguard off Fire Island’s Ocean Beach on 7 July and three more people on 13 July at Smith Point and Ocean Beach.
