‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor Tamayo Perry killed in Hawaii shark attack
Renowned surfer and actor Tamayo Perry has died following a shark attack off the Hawaii coast on June 23rd, a tragic end to a life defined by his dedication to and love of the water.
Before his death, Perry had been working as a lifeguard and surfing instructor in Oahu, with the incident reported to the authorities by a caller who’d seen somebody carrying injuries that looked like shark bites, with the emergency services arriving on the scene at Malakehana Beach where he was declared dead.
He first gained prominence on the local scene at the turn of the millennium, where he specialised in surfing ‘The Pipeline’, a break on the shore of Oahu that’s regularly been called one of the most dangerous in the world due to the inherent dangers that come with taking to such harsh and unforgiving waters.
By the mid-2000s he became known as arguably the most accomplish surfer on ‘The Pipeline’, taking part in countless competitions while also beginning to make regular appearances in film and television. He guest starred in 2002 surf drama Blue Crush, an episode of the Hawaii Five-0 reboot, as well as Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, and billion-dollar blockbuster sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Perry had been working for the Ocean Safety department since 2016, with the organisation’s boss, Kurt Lager, mourning his passing in a statement. “He’s well known on the North Shore. He’s a professional surfer known worldwide,” he said.
Lager continued: “Tamayo’s personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more. Our condolences go out to Tamayo’s family and to the entire lifeguard ohana. We’re asking for some privacy for his family at this time.”
Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi praised him as “a legendary waterman” who was “highly respected” among his colleagues and peers, with the community devastated by the “tragic loss” of one of their own. “A great member of our Ocean Safety team; it’s just really hard to imagine, so we just want to pay our respects to our guys,” he continued. “I hope everyone wishes the family the best honours and respects the situation.”
Tributes have been pouring in from around the surfing world, with Ocean Safety immediately increasing the signage and issuing further warnings regarding shark attacks following the incident that claimed Perry’s life, and it was the dangers posed by ‘The Pipeline’ that convinced him to begin teaching others about surf awareness and safety as a full-time career in the first place.
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