NEW YORK – An exclusive video shows a crowd at Rockaway Beach working together to push a shark in distress back into the water.

Video shows crowd pushing shark into water in Queens

A video shows a thresher shark lying on the beach near the water. The Department of Parks and Recreation confirms the shark sighting occurred around 4 p.m. on Monday.

Welsey Parnell said he was paddleboarding in the water near Beach 67th Street when his girlfriend yelled at him to get out of the water. Parnell said a group of beachgoers quickly gathered together and tried to get the shark back in the water.

“I thought to myself, if this shark dies here, it’s a tragic story. I think everyone realized that at the same time, and so everyone started cheering each other on and trying to get the shark back in the water so it could live another day,” he said.

Expert: Shark could have been sick or injured

Environmental experts say it will be interesting to see if the shark washes up on shore again, as it is possible that it was sick or injured.

“It could be that he was chasing fish and came too close to shore and became stranded. It could be that he was sick or injured,” said shark researcher Greg Metzger. “Judging from the few animal incidents we’ve had, it’s one or the other.”

A shark was spotted by New York Police Department drones in the water off Rockaway Beach in JulyPolice said their drones will continue to monitor the waters in real time.

In response to Monday’s incident, the park administration said: “If you encounter a shark on the beach, please maintain a safe distance and avoid touching it to ensure both your safety and the welfare of the animal.”