Shark bites teenager's head off while fishing

A 16-year-old is attacked and killed by a tiger shark while spearfishing in Jamaica. His head and arm are missing. The hunt for the shark has begun.

Trelawny – A fatal shark attack has rocked the Jamaican coastal region of Trelawny. The 16-year-old was attacked and killed by a tiger shark while spearfishing on Monday, August 26, 2024, as Sky News reported. The teenager's body was discovered one day later, on Tuesday, by divers near a large tiger shark. The shark had torn off the boy's head and one arm.

He was a student at the local high school, was an experienced spear fisherman and had been involved in this activity since childhood. On Monday morning he went out alone into the waters near his home, when he was not resold, a search operation was launched. The next day, diver made the gruesome discovery, reports The Telegraph.

Shark attack off Jamaica: 16-year-old dies while fishing

The attack on the teenagers has deeply shocked the Falmouth community. “I can't believe he drove out alone… and this was the result.” It is sad to know. “I feel so bad,” his father told the Jamaica ObserverHis mother was also deeply affected and spoke of the helplessness she felt.

Local fishermen spotted the shark near the body and tried to kill it, but were unsuccessful. “All the fishermen went out and while they were diving to retrieve it, they saw the big shark.” “They shot at it, but they didn't hit it,” said local fisherman Christopher Reynolds.

Predator of the seas: The tiger shark is both hunter and hunted

According to Pro Wildlife, the tiger shark (lat. Galeocerdo cuvier) is one of the most feared predators in the seas. With a length of up to five meters and a weight of around 1,000 kilograms, it is the fourth largest shark in the world after the whale shark, the basking shark and the great white shark. The dark stripes on its body, which give it its name, are particularly striking. However, these stripes fade with age.

Tiger sharks are found in almost all warm oceans around the world and can travel distances of several thousand kilometers. As solitary animals, they usually stay in the open ocean during the day and come to shallower coastal waters at night to hunt. Their prey includes a wide range from fish and seabirds to sea turtles and even other sharks. They are also known to eat almost anything they can find – from carrion to marine animals to human waste such as plastic or metal.

Country in mourning: Residents of Jamaica want to hunt the shark

In Jamaica, the fatal attack on Jahmari Reid was the first shark attack in recent memory. According to the International Shark Attack File, maintained by the Florida Museum of Natural History and the American Elasmobranch Society, only three unprovoked shark attacks have been recorded on Jamaica's coasts since 1749. In Australia, however, shark attacks on humans are no longer uncommon.

However, the incident underlines the need for precautions when engaging in marine activities. Fishermen have now stepped up their efforts to find and kill the shark to prevent further attacks. “People need to be extremely careful, especially when spearfishing alone,” Fritz Christie, chairman of the local fishermen's association, warned The Telegraph. It has been speculated that the tiger shark may have followed a cruise ship in Falmouth Bay and remained in the area. Most recently, a 15-year-old was attacked and killed by a shark in late 2023.(ls)