Woman attacked by shark at Rockaway Beach undergoes 5 surgeries in 8 days, family says
NEW YORK -- The family of Tatyana Koltunyuk, who was attacked by a shark at Rockaway Beach, says she is still being treated and has a long road to recovery.
Koltunyuk, 65, was swimming close to the shore when a shark bit her leg on Aug. 8. She underwent five surgeries over the next eight days because the bite was so bad.
Koltunyuk has significantly limited mobility and her family anticipates several years of intense therapy. She will likely have a permanent disability, they said.
New precautions are in place at the beach since the attack. Lifeguards are undergoing bleed-control training and authorities are using drones to monitor the water for sharks.
Koltunyuk, her husband and daughter immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine in 1996, her family said. Her husband died a few weeks after they arrived.
