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Two children bitten by sharks in city's first attack in 70 years

WARNING – GRAPHIC CONTENT: Two children have been bitten by sharks while playing on a New York beach in what is believed to be the state’s first attack in 70 years.

The victims – a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy – were frolicking in the surf kilometres apart along the Fire Island National Seashore.

What appeared to be a shark’s tooth was extracted from the boy’s leg and will be analysed to determine the species of the creature he encountered while boogie-boarding at Atlantique Beach in the town of Islip.

The girl, a middle school student identified at a news conference with her parents afterward as Lola Pollina, said she was standing in waist-deep water at Sailors Haven beach in nearby Brookhaven, 3 kilometres east of Islip, when she was bitten.

A “no swimming” sign is seen near Ocean Beach on Fire Island after the attacks. Source: AP
A “no swimming” sign is seen near Ocean Beach on Fire Island after the attacks. Source: AP
Lola Pollina was identified as one of the two victims. Source: AP
Lola Pollina was identified as one of the two victims. Source: AP

“I saw something, like, next to me, and I kind of felt pain, and looked and I saw a fin,” she said, recounting how she realised her leg was “all bloody” as she scurried from the water.

The shark she saw appeared to be about 91-122 cm long, she said.

Shark attacks on humans are extremely rare in waters off Fire Island, east of New York City, or anywhere else in the state, according to Ian Levine, chief of the Ocean Beach Fire Department, whose paramedics aided the boy who was bitten.

Only about 10 cases of shark bites on people have ever been documented in New York state, the last one in 1948.

A life guard keeps an eye on the water at Atlantique Beach on Fire Island in Islip, N.Y. Source: AP
A life guard keeps an eye on the water at Atlantique Beach on Fire Island in Islip, N.Y. Source: AP

Neither incident on Wednesday had yet been officially confirmed as a shark attack, but Levine added, “the tooth we pulled out of the kid’s leg looks like a shark’s tooth.”

The boy, who was attending a day camp at the time, walked on and off the police boat that took him to the hospital. The girl later spoke to reporters seated in a wheelchair.

Fire Island beaches were closed afterward until further notice, National Park Service spokeswoman Elizabeth Rogers said.

In this photo provided by Philip Pollina, a first responder treats wounds consistent with a shark attack on the leg of Pollina’s 12-year-old daughter, Lola. Source: AP
In this photo provided by Philip Pollina, a first responder treats wounds consistent with a shark attack on the leg of Pollina’s 12-year-old daughter, Lola. Source: AP

The tooth specimen, which is “consistent with a large fish,” was being studied by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, which will report its findings to the Suffolk County Marine Bureau, Rogers said.

Bite marks on the girl also were “consistent with a large fish,” she said.

Two children suffered shark attacks in waters off Fire Island on Wednesday, July 18, prompting officials to close certain beaches on South Shore.