A 65-year-old woman was attacked by a shark on Monday afternoon at Rockaway Beach in New York City. The incident is believed to be the first confirmed shark bite in NYC waters in decades. The woman, Tatyana Koltunyuk, was swimming near Beach 59th Street when she was bitten on the left leg. Lifeguards heard her cries for help and removed her from the water. They applied a tourniquet and provided first aid before emergency responders took her to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition. Her condition was later listed as serious but stable. Shark bites at Rockaway Beach are extremely rare, according to the city’s parks department. Officials reported that the woman lost about 20 pounds of flesh as a result of the bite. Lifeguards closed the beach to swimming and surfing, and helicopter crews searched for sharks but found none. The incident has raised awareness of the presence of sharks in the area and the need for caution. New York City has not seen a confirmed shark attack since the 1950s. Experts believe an increase in bait fish in the region may be attracting more sharks.