Video shows crowd pushing shark in distress back into water at Rockaway Beach
NEW YORK — Exclusive video shows a crowd at Rockaway Beach working together to push a shark in distress back into the water.
Video shows crowd pushing shark into water in Queens
Video shows a thresher shark lying on the beach near the water. The Department of Parks and Recreation confirms the shark sighting took place around 4 p.m. Monday.
Welsey Parnell said he was paddleboarding in the water near Beach 67th Street when his girlfriend started shouting for him to get out of the water. Parnell said a group of beachgoers quickly rallied together, trying to get the shark back into the water.
"It kind of set in like, oh, if this shark passes away here, that's a tragic story. I think everyone realized at the same time, so that's when everyone started cheering each other on, trying to get the shark back out into the water so it could live to see another day," he said.
Expert says shark might have been sick or injured
Environmental experts say it will be interesting to see if the shark washes back up on the shore again, as it's possible the shark was either sick or injured.
"It could be that it was chasing fish and got a little too close to the shore and got stranded. It could be that it was sick or injured," said shark research Greg Metzger. "From the few animal incidents we've had, it's one or the other."
A shark was spotted by New York City Police Department drones in the water off Rockaway Beach in July. Police said their drones will continue to monitor the waters for real-time surveillance.
In response to Monday's incident the parks department stated, "If you encounter a shark on the beach, please maintain a safe distance and avoid touching it to ensure both your safety and the well-being of the animal."
