Rockaway Beach shark attack victim ‘lost 20 pounds of flesh’ after bite: sources

NY Post ^ | August 8, 2023 12:12pm | By Joe Marino and Olivia Land

[Red Badger]

The woman bitten by a shark while swimming alone at Rockaway Beach is believed to have lost “approximately 20 pounds of flesh” in the rare attack — believed to be the waterfront’s first since 1953, sources told The Post on Tuesday.

The victim, a 65-year-old Queens woman, was attacked off the shore near Beach 59th Street shortly before 6 p.m. Monday — losing a large chunk of her left leg, above the knee, to the shark, according to sources and a photo of her injury.

Lifeguards spotted her screaming for help in the water — and pulled her to shore, where she was given first aid. A tourniquet was also applied to her leg to help stem the bleeding before first responders arrived.

The woman was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where staff said she was in stable but critical condition Tuesday.

The teeth marks on the victim’s leg wound indicated that she may have been bitten by a bull or Thresher shark – though the possibility of a great white encounter could not be ruled out, a source familiar with the incident said.

“[It’s] definitely a shark bite,” Dr. Gavin Naylor, the Program Director at the Florida Program for Shark Research, told The Post after seeing an image of the victim’s wound.

“Looks as though it was a fairly clean single bite with some force. You can see the spacing between the teeth,” he continued while noting he would need to see the other side of the woman’s leg “to narrow the species down.”

[mgstarr]

This was no boating accident.

[ronniesgal]

do they mean the shark bit off 20 lbs?! or she just lost it due to complications.

[FoxInSocks]

losing a large chunk of her left leg, above the knee

Well, the headline is an attention-grabber. I very much doubt the person reporting this estimate ever seen a 20-pound turkey. And judging from the blurred-out photo, the loss was probably more like a quarter-pounder with cheese.

[Red Badger]

Doesn’t look like ‘20 lbs’ to me. Maybe two pounds..............

[Mr. Blond]

Lose weight now, ask me how!

[Karliner]

Pounds or grams?

[FamiliarFace]

Typo? That would make more sense. Few journalists fact check these days.

[Boogieman]

So, who wants to try out my new “Rockaway Beach Diet” plan for instant weight loss?

[mware]

20 pounds would be about a leg.

[mware]

She was critical when they found her. I wonder if most of the weight loss was fluid ( blood)

[Red Badger]

She would have died if she lost that much blood..............

[Red Badger]

Just this one neat trick!...................

[Red Badger]

20 grams would be less than an ounce..................

[CedarDave]

Twenty pounds? Unlikely.

[bantam]

That’s a helluva way to avoid a diet!

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

Rockaway Beach Diet!

[C210N]

KETO works fast, but not this fast.

[No name given]

Ouch!

[Red Badger]

Your mileage may vary................