Surfer Who Was 'Loved by All' Killed in Hawaii Shark Attack

A professional surfer and lifeguard who appeared in movies including Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides was killed in a Sunday afternoon shark attack off Oahu's North Shore in Hawaii. The AP reports Tamayo Perry, 49, died in an attack near Goat Island. Honolulu Ocean Safety and city emergency workers medical services departments responded to Malaekahana Beach just before 1pm in response to a caller who reported seeing a man who appeared to have suffered shark bites. Perry was taken to shore by lifeguards via jet ski and pronounced dead at the scene. More:

• Standout quote I: "Tamayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected," Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said, per the AP. He called Perry's death "a tragic loss."
• Standout quote II: Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager said Perry was "a lifeguard loved by all ... He's well known on the North Shore. He's a professional surfer known worldwide. Tamayo's personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more."
• Perry's background: He had worked with the Ocean Safety department as a lifeguard since July 2016. In addition to playing a buccaneer in Caribbean, the BBC reports his other film and TV credits include small roles in Charlie's Angels 2, Blue Crush, Lost, and Hawaii Five-0.
• The risk factor: CNN looks at the frequency of such attacks via the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File. It recorded 120 shark bite incidents in 2023, about a third of which happened in the US. Eight took place in Hawaii, and one was fatal. The 2023 numbers indicated that 42% of the bites suffered globally last year happened to surfers.

(More shark attack stories.)