Shark sighting briefly closes swimming at Nickerson Beach Park, Malibu Shore Club and Lido Beach
Beachgoers are back in the water after officials said it was OK. Earlier, a shark was spotted at Nickerson Beach in Long Beach on Saturday. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Swimming reopened at three beaches in Nassau after being briefly halted due to a shark sighting on Saturday, officials said.
Town of Hempstead lifeguards spotted a 6-foot shark about 75 feet from shore at Nickerson Beach Park around noon and immediately evacuated the area. As a precaution, officials also paused swimming at nearby Malibu Shore Club and Lido Beach. By 1 p.m. swimming had resumed.
Hempstead town supervisor Don Clavin said that sharks usually migrate after they are spotted. But officials weren’t taking any chances and wanted to make sure the waters were clear before allowing bathers back in.
"It is unfortunate, on one of the hottest days of the year, to have this, but safety is first," Clavin said, adding that extra lifeguards in the water and on the shore are monitoring for any additional sightings.
This is at least the eighth or ninth shark spotted this season, a concerning trend that’s become more common on Long Island in the past several years.
Although the type of shark has not been confirmed, Clavin said it could have been a bull shark, a species that is more aggressive than other sharks.
State officials have increased surveillance and drone equipment for Long Island beaches after a rash of shark sightings and reported shark bites last year.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
