New York City Beaches Close 23 Times for Shark Sightings as Drones Raise Detection
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 11
New York City Beaches Close 23 Times for Shark Sightings as Drones Raise Detection
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 11
Summary
Twenty-three closures have hit New York City’s Rockaways since late May after shark sightings, already more than double the 11 closures at the same point last year and above 2024’s full-year total of 11.
Drone surveillance is a key driver of those shutdowns: police teams scan four beaches, and parks closes a 1-mile stretch for at least 1 hour when aerial monitoring confirms a shark or other dangerous marine life.
Experts say the higher sighting count does not prove sharks pose a greater danger, noting bites remain rare at about 1 in 4.3 million and totaled 65 unprovoked cases worldwide in 2025, below the 10-year average of 72.
New York state has still expanded monitoring, adding 60 drones after a $1 million 2023 push and buying 16 more this year for $322,000, even as specialists warn drones miss sharks in poor visibility and can fuel fear or false reassurance.