A swarm of bull sharks forced a Rockaway Beach closure during NYC’s July heatwave, with lifeguards raising red flags after multiple sightings and drones monitoring the seas; closures last one hour per additional sighting, and a nearby 9-foot shark sighting at Point Lookout underscores ongoing coastal risk as water warms for the season.
The remains of a headless and armless cadaver found on Rockaway beach in Queens, New York, may belong to Emmy award-winning Irish filmmaker Ross McDonnell, who went missing on November 4. Investigators are awaiting DNA results to confirm suspicions that McDonnell drowned, and officials believe the body may have been dismembered by the ocean over the past two weeks.
A man was shot and killed in Rockaway Beach during a confrontation with state police and a Tillamook County sheriff's deputy. The shooting occurred after a state trooper responded to a call for assistance with an "agitated suspect." The man was declared dead at the scene, and the Oregon State Police have requested an investigation by the Clatsop County Major Crimes team. No further details about the incident or the individual who was shot have been provided.
Tatyana Koltunyuk, a 65-year-old Ukrainian woman, has been left permanently disabled after being attacked by a shark while swimming off Rockaway Beach. She lost a significant amount of flesh from her left leg and has undergone multiple surgeries. Koltunyuk now requires ongoing medical care, physical therapy, and psychological support. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise funds for her treatment. This incident marks the first shark attack at Rockaway Beach since 1953, and it highlights the increasing number of shark sightings and encounters along the Long Island coast.
A woman is in critical condition after being attacked by a shark at Rockaway Beach in New York City. The 50-year-old swimmer was bitten on her left leg, prompting lifeguards to clear the beach and a helicopter search for the shark. The beach will have a delayed opening on Tuesday as authorities continue to monitor the area. Shark attacks have been reported in nearby waters recently, and sand tiger sharks have been spotted along the Long Island coast this summer.