A 16-year-old boy was brutally killed during a shark attack last week while he was spearfishing by himself.
According to the Jamaica Observer, the boy was identified as Jahmari Reid. He had been spearfishing off the coast of Jamaica when he experienced what is described as an “extremely rare” shark attack. He was decapitated during the terrifying attack.
Divers were able to recover the majority of Reid’s body in the early hours of Tuesday, Aug. 26, after he disappeared during his solo spearfishing expedition near the town of Montego Bay. Along with his head, the teen’s arm left arm was detached. The rest of his body was mutilated.
Reid’s father, Michael, spoke to the media outlet about what happened to his son. “I can’t believe that he went to sea by himself yesterday and that was the outcome,” he said. “Sad to know. I feel so bad.”
Before the deadly shark attack, Michael said he tried to discourage the teen from continuing his spearfishing hobby, noting they argued about it a lot. “It is something that we argue about, we fight about. He’s not doing it for a worthy cause, he’s not doing it for needs or anything. It is what it is still. Can you believe it?” the distressed father lamented.
Large Tiger Shark Spotted by Divers Who Located the Teen’s Body
Local fisherman Christopher Reynolds also spoke to the media outlet, noting that he was informed that a massive tiger shark was spotted in the water by divers who located Reid’s body.
“All of the fisherman went out there and, while they were diving to take him up, they saw the big shark,” Reynolds said. “They shot at him but they didn’t get him.”
Reynolds pointed out the importance of finding the shark that killed Reid.
Meanwhile, President of Falmouth Fisherfolks Benevolent Society, Fritz Christie, shared that the attack on Reid was the first time in recent history that a shark has killed someone in the nearby waters. He noted it is being theorized that the shark had followed a cruise vessel into the area.
“It look like when one of the ship come in a big shark follow the ship come in and it look like when the ship leave the shark did not leave the area,” Christie explained. “And the youth go out and he was attacked by the shark. It bit off his head.”
He then advised those spearfishing to practice caution following the shark attack, especially when there is a cruise ship nearby. “What we have to do is make certain when the ships come to be careful of the diving. The shark eat off the man head, eat off one of his hand. It’s crazy, man,” Christie added.