Shark kills 16-year-old high school student found dead by fishermen, Jamaica police say

A shark attacked and killed a 16-year-old Jamaican high school student whose body was found in waters north of the island, authorities said.

Police identified the victim as Jahmari Reid of the northern community of Trelawny, east of the popular tourist resort of Montego Bay.

The teenager was apparently spearfishing alone early Monday morning. Fishermen found his body the next day with injuries consistent with a shark attack, police said in a report late Tuesday.

Since 1749, only three unprovoked shark attacks have been reported in Jamaica, according to the International Shark Attack File, maintained by the Florida Museum of Natural History and the American Elasmobranch Society.

Shark attacks are rare. 69 unprovoked attacks have been confirmed worldwide. 14 deaths reported last yearthe file states. The report found that a “disproportionately large” number of people died of shark bites in Australia last year compared to other countries, and Australia accounted for about 22% of unprovoked shark attacks worldwide in 2023.

In July Surfer lost his leg after being attacked by a great white shark in Australia.

The month before, surfers Tamayo Perry has died after suffering fatal injuries in a shark attack off the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

In January, a young fisherman diving for scallops was killed by a shark off the Pacific coast of Mexico.