Within the past several days over the 4th of July weekend, numerous shark sightings along New York beaches have kept swimmers temporarily out of the water. Officials say they have been monitoring the waters for sharks, including a stretch of Rockaway Beach in Queens.

But in 2023, a swimmer at Rockaway was bitten by a shark and badly injured. New York City officials responded by expanding the use of drones to monitor the waters and order swimmers to the shore when sharks are spotted.