Sharks spotted off Rockaway Beach and Lido Beach hours apart, beaches closed temporarily
ROCKAWAYS, Queens (WABC) -- Beachgoers saw another shark this weekend, but this time it was within city limits.
NYC Parks department confirmed a shark sighting at Rockaway Beach in Queens Sunday afternoon.
"I'm hoping they have lifeguards out," Janice Duffin said. "They're looking out for that. Drones out. Get people out of the water in time."
Beaches on the east of the Rockaways have been closed from Beach 9 to Beach 29.
Around the same time, a shark was spotted off the shore of Lido Beach in Hempstead, Long Island.
Lifeguard Frank Falcone was surveying the water with other lifeguards when they spotted a fin about 25 to 30 yards offshore, according to Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin.
The lifeguards blew their whistles and got all swimmers back onto the beach calmly, the closest swimmer was about 20 yards from where lifeguards saw the fin.
Its believed the shark was five to seven feet long.
These sightings come after a handful of shark bites were reported along Long Island's south shore beaches.
Long Beach was notified of the sighting and also closed its beach temporarily.
Swimmers at Lido Beach were allowed back into knee-deep water around 1:30 p.m.
There have been no other sightings since 2:00 p.m. and swimmers were allowed further out by 2:30 p.m.
Supervisor Clavin said there have been more sightings of sharks in the Town of Hempstead in the past 2 years than they did in over a decade.
The supervisor said that while lifeguards are trained in CPR and identifying sharks, the Town of Hempstead has also instituted shark patrol jet skis that monitor the waters.
ALSO READ | With shark bites increasing, what to know if you encounter one while swimming
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