Great White shark washes ashore on Long Island
Shark sightings increase at area beaches
There have been a seeming increase in shark encounters and sightings throughout our area this summer, forcing beach closures in the last few weeks, including a dead Great White Shark that washed ashore in Quogue on Wednesday. FOX 5 NY spoke with officials and scientists about how concerned beachgoers should be.
LONG ISLAND - The body of what is believed to be a dead juvenile Great White Shark washed ashore on the beach of the village of Quogue on Long Island on Wednesday afternoon.
According to Quogue Village Police, at 9:33 a.m., the 7-to-8-foot-long shark was seen by a resident on the beach between 80 and 90 Dune Road.
Authorities say the shark washed out to sea before police could secure it, officials said.
"At this time we are cautioning swimmers and boaters in the area to be aware of this ongoing situation, and to keep distance to allow the Law Enforcement to monitor this event," the Quogue Village Police Department said in a Facebook post.
RELATED: Shark patrols to increase at Long Island beaches
They also said that they were in touch with the South Fork Natural History Museum's shark research and education program, which was attempting to monitor the situation along with law enforcement.
It is currently unclear what kind of shark it was, although some reports say it was a young Great White Shark.
If anyone sees the shark again, they are being asked to call the Quogue Village Police Department at 631-653-4791.
On Monday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered increased shark patrols after a string of recent shark encounters on Long Island.