Hawaiian lifeguard dies in shark attack while surfing off Oahu

A professional lifeguard died after being attacked by a shark while surfing off the Hawaiian island of Oahu on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

Lifeguard Tamayo Perry, 49, of the City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety died in the attack near Goat Island, Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department said in a statement.

Honolulu Ocean Safety, as well as the city’s fire, police and emergency services, responded to Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu’s north shore shortly before 1 p.m. after a caller reported seeing a man who appeared to have been bitten by a shark, Enright said.

Lifeguards brought Perry to shore on a jet ski and paramedics helped confirm his death, Enright said.

Perry, who worked as a lifeguard on the North Shore, began his career with the Department of Marine Safety in July 2016, Enright said.

Following the attack, Ocean Safety staff issued shark warnings in the area, Enright said.

Kurt Lager, acting director of Honolulu Ocean Safety, said Perry was “a lifeguard loved by all.”

“He’s very well known on the North Shore. He’s a world-renowned professional surfer,” Lager said at a news conference. “Tamayo’s personality was infectious and as much as people liked him, he liked everyone else even more.”

“Tamayo was a legendary and highly respected fisherman,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, calling Perry’s death “a tragic loss.”