SHIRLEY, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — Smith Point Beach on Long Island will be closed to swimmers once again after a paddleboarder was bitten by a shark Wednesday morning, Suffolk County officials said.
The move came after a 41-year-old man was attacked Wednesday morning off Smith Point County Park.
It happened around 7:30 a.m. before lifeguards came on duty.
The victim suffered a 4-inch gash to his leg, according to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. He is expected to be OK.
Bellone said the paddleboarder fought back once he was bitten by an apparent tiger shark.
"They were on a paddleboard and [were] knocked off the paddleboard," he said. [The man] took a punch at the shark and saw the shark coming back around towards them."
He said an incoming wave "fortunately" carried the victim and the paddleboard to shore. The man then sought care from a park ranger and called 911.
It's the second attack at Smith Point in 10 days, which Bellone called "unprecedented."
"To have two of these incidents happen for us for this facility for this beach is unprecedented," he added. "We've not seen this before. We hadn't seen our beach closed to swimming in the history of Smith Point County Park since it opened in 1959."
On July 3, Zack Gallo, a ten-year lifeguard veteran, was participating in a training exercise, playing a victim in the water, when a four- or five-foot-long shark bit him on the chest and hand.
Gallo was assisted to the shore by fellow lifeguards out of the water. Smith Point Beach and Cupsogue Beach closed after that incident.
Bellone said Wednesday that Gallo is expected to come back to work this week.
It's unclear if the same shark caused both attacks.
On June 30, a man swimming off Jones Beach was bitten on the right foot, though it was unclear if it was by a shark.
Days after Gallo was attacked, Davis Park Beach on Fire Island was closed due to a shark sighting.
While officials said Wednesday that shark sightings are "extremely rare," they noted that county lifeguards patrol for sharks by utilizing drones, jet skis, paddleboards and surfboards as well as monitoring from the shore.
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