#Long Island, Maine police monitoring sharks near coastlines after fatal attack

Enlarge Image

People go out in the ocean as a Nassau County Police Marine Unit boat patrols the waters at Nickerson Beach Park in Lido Beach, New York, today.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Police have deployed helicopters and boats to track sharks on the coastlines of Long Island and Maine after a New York City woman was fatally attacked by a great white this week — and several other sightings startled beach-goers.

Cops were sent to monitor man-eaters lurking underwater near Long Island’s South Shore on Wednesday after three consecutive days of shark sightings in the area, the Long Island Press reported.

“If anything is spotted coming too close to shore or displaying erratic behavior, our pilots will get that info to all area beaches and lifeguards no matter what jurisdiction,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said, according to the outlet.

A Nassau County Police Marine Unit helicopter was seen tracking the predators near Nickerson Beach Park in Lido Beach Wednesday after a shark of “significant size” prompted officials on Monday to close beaches in the area until further notice.

Meanwhile, The Maine Marine Patrol was monitoring sharks near Bailey Island — where former Big Apple fashion executive Julie Dimperio Holowach, 63, was killed while swimming with her daughter Monday, and where other sightings have since been reported, according to CBS affiliate WGME.

Marine experts believe the shark attack in Maine may have been caused by a seal population boom, and that Holowach was mistaken for one of the animals because she was wearing a wet suit.

Near Long Island, experts said the sightings this week were likely bull sharks, which are aggressive and scavenge for food in warm water.

Holowach’s tragic death marked the 13th shark attack in the US this year, two of which were fatal.