Hawaii lifeguard dies after shark attack

A professional lifeguard died after being attacked by a shark while surfing off the Hawaiian island of Oahu on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguard Tamayo Perry, 49, died in the attack near Goat Island, Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Department of Emergency Services said in a statement.

Honolulu Ocean Safety and the city’s fire, police and emergency medical services departments responded to Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu’s North Shore shortly before 1 p.m. after a caller reported seeing a man who appeared to be in distress. shark bites, Enright said.

Lifeguards brought Perry to shore on jet skis and paramedics helped pronounce him dead, Enright said.

Perry, who worked as a lifeguard on the North Shore, began his career with the Ocean Safety department in July 2016, Enright said.

Ocean Safety personnel posted warnings about sharks in the area after the attack, Enright said.

Honolulu Interim Ocean Safety Chief Kurt Lager said Perry was “a lifeguard loved by all.”

“He’s well known on the North Shore. He is a world-renowned professional surfer,” Lager said at a press conference. “Tamayo’s personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more.”

“Tamayo was a legendary and highly respected waterman,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, calling Perry’s death “a tragic loss.”

How common are shark attacks? Deaths?

In the waters off Hawaii, incidents of sharks biting people are “Very rare”, occurring about three or four times a year, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Fatalities are even less common – but not unheard of.

In March, an 11-year-old girl suffered non-life-threatening injuries after her foot was reportedly bitten by a small reef shark at a popular surfing spot on Oahu. And last December, on Maui, surfer Jason Carter died after being bitten and pulled underwater by a shark that witnesses said was the size of a pickup truck.

Meanwhile, Florida is known as “shark attack capital” in the world, recording 16 unprovoked shark bites last year, more than any other state or country besides the US. As of 2023, there have been 36 confirmed cases of unprovoked shark bites in the US, of which two were fatalaccording to the International Shark Attack File, which offers a series of Tips to reduce your risk in the water, including swimming with a friend and staying close to shore.