Possible Fire Island Shark Bite: Watch Victim Describe Experience

FIRE ISLAND, NY - Two people were possibly bitten by sharks off the waters on Fire Island on Wednesday morning. Suffolk Police confirmed that they received two reports of injuries at Sailors Haven Beach at 11:24 a.m. and Atlantique Beach at 11:28 a.m.

Police are still investigating the source of the bites. They could not confirm if the bites came from sharks.

A Town of Islip spokesperson confirmed to Patch that a 13-year-old boy was bitten in the leg at Atlantique Beach.

He was boogie-boarding in the water at the time when he was bitten.

After he came out of the water, a lifeguard took him to a tent where his wounds were cleaned and dressed.

EMTs removed a tooth from the teen's leg, and are currently analyzing it to determine the origin.

Fire Island, NY- 2 children are hospitalized after being attacked, possibly by a small shark, on the Ocean side of Atlantique and Sailor's Haven. Both are in stable condition. Police are searching waters with a helicopter, beaches are closed. pic.twitter.com/XZMIAapXyn
— Stringer News (@Stringernews) July" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/Stringerne... 18, 2018

Officials say his injuries were non-life-threatening and that he was in "good spirits" following the incident.

He was transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore.

The Town of Islip shut down all Town-operated ocean beaches for the remainder of the day.

The second incident at Sailor's Haven involved a 12-year-old girl, officials confirmed.

She was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Islip with non-life-threatening injuries.

According to a Newsday report, the girl was identified as Lola Pollina, of Islip, by her father, Philip Pollina.

“I am pretty certain it was a shark," Pollina told Newsday. "The way the cuts were, they were long and deep, these were fairly large teeth. Thank God she’s OK. She may have couple of little scars on her leg, but she’ll have a great story to tell."

The Suffolk County Department of Health are warning beachgoers to be cautious when bathing at ocean beaches following the attacks.

“As the Suffolk County Department of Health Services monitors all permitted bathing beaches in Suffolk County for bacteria and any situation that may be harmful to human health,” said Dr. James Tomarken.

As a precautionary measure, health officials at 1:20 p.m. contacted all ocean beach operators to advise lifeguards to observe the waters for sharks.

Police were notified and dispatched a helicopter to the area.

Residents and visitors to Suffolk County are advised to call their local beach operators to find out if their local beach is closed to bathing.

Watch Lola share her story on the experience below:

Photos courtesy of Barbara Pollina