A SWIMMER is in critical condition after she was mauled in an apparent shark attack in New York, firefighters say.
First responders raced to Rockaway Beach, about 25 miles southeast of New York City, on Monday and found the woman with a serious injury to her leg.
The New York City Fire Department got a call about the reported shark attack near 59th Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard at 5.52pm.
FDNY told The U.S. Sun that the victim suffered a major injury and was rushed to Jamaica Hospital.
The beachgoer, who was said to be 50 years old, was in critical condition but is expected to survive, the NY Daily News reported.
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If confirmed, the mauling would be the first shark attack in the area since 1953, according to the news outlet.
Witnesses shared additional information about the emergency via social media and community watch app Citizen.
The woman emerged from the water with a chunk of her leg missing, onlookers said.
Police applied a tourniquet to the victim while waiting for an ambulance to arrive, the witnesses reported.
A helicopter was seen hovering close to the water in the area and a number of police officers were on site.
They put up drones to survey the water after the woman was injured.
This is not the first time sharks have been spotted at Rockaway Beach this year.
Multiple shark sightings have prompted brief closures at Rockaway Beach so far this summer.
In July 2022, beaches were closed for two days after multiple sharks were spotted in the Rockaway Beach area.
Elsewhere in New York, five shark attacks occurred over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
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Officials continue to monitor the waters of Rockaway Beach as well as other parts of New York.
Meanwhile, beaches in Massachusetts and Florida have also shuttered after shark sightings this year.
Last week, a man was attacked in New Smyrna Beach, Florida - the country's shark bite capital.
The 22-year-old beachgoer reported seeing sharks swirling in the water but was caught by surprise when a predator sunk its teeth into his leg.
He was taken to a hospital for a non-life-threatening injury to his left ankle.
