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Shark sightings prompt Rockaway beach closures 4 days in a row
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jul 6, 2025
Modified Jul 6, 2025
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Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jul 6, 2025
Modified Jul 6, 2025
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New Yorkers looking to beat the heat headed to the Rockaways over Fourth of July weekend – and so did sharks.
Sections of beach were closed daily from Thursday to Sunday after drones spotted sharks in the vicinity of swimmers, according to tweets from Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry and the parks department.
The most recent sighting came Sunday at Beach 102nd Street, according to the parks department. Beaches from Beach 83rd Street to Beach 120th Street were temporarily closed to swimmers.
On Saturday, Daughtry tweeted that a shark was “just 100 feet” from swimmers near Beach 113th Street.
“From the sky to the surf, we are constantly patrolling with drones to detect both shark activity and distressed swimmers. This is how we stay ahead of danger—and keep New Yorkers safe,” Daughtry tweeted.
The NYPD also confirmed another shark was spotted in the Rockaways last week. An FDNY drone spotted a single shark on July 1, which led authorities to temporarily close the Rockaways from Beach 83rd Street to 106th Street.
There were no reported injuries tied to any of the shark sightings.
Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has dramatically expanded the use of drones, using them to conduct building inspections, monitor protests, look for sharks and more.
Experts say the odds of being bitten by a shark are low. There were 28 confirmed shark bites across the country last year, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File.
A woman on Long Island’s Jones Beach joined that list on June 25 when she was bitten by a shark while waist-deep in the ocean. The state Parks Department said she’d suffered “minor lacerations” to her left foot and leg. Officials at the agency suspected a juvenile sand tiger shark bit the swimmer.
After the incident, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she’d boost the number of drones patrolling beaches.
This story has been updated to note a shark sighting on Sunday.
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Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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