The sky was clear over Rockaway Beach in Queens early Saturday afternoon.
Lifeguards scanned the still waters, dotted by a few swimmers, and occasionally blew whistles to warn those who ventured too far into the ocean.
The woman, Tatyana Koltunyuk, had been swimming alone near Beach 59th Street when she was bitten on the left leg, officials said.
Jose Velez, 64, was at Beach 59th Street on Saturday with his wife, brother, sister-in-law and nieces and nephews.
The family comes to the beach every year, he said, and had “never, never, never” heard of such an attack.
Persons:
Tatyana Koltunyuk, Jose Velez, “, ”
Organizations:
Rockaway, Jamaica Hospital, Beach
Locations:
Rockaway Beach, Queens, Beach, Jamaica