Tamayo Perry, former professional surfer and “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor, apparently dies in a shark attack

Nikki Schenfeld, Lucy Lopez, Emily Cervantes and Michael Bartiromo

4 hours ago

(KHON/NEXSTAR) — Well-known surfer and occasional actor Tamayo Perry, who appeared in films such as “Blue Crush” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” was killed in an apparent shark attack on Sunday, according to Hawaii authorities.

The incident was reported just before 1 p.m. after Perry and a group of surfers paddled to Malaekahana, an island off Oahu’s north shore also known as Goat Island. The 911 caller said Perry’s body “appeared to have sustained more than just a shark bite.”

Perry, 49, was employed as a professional lifeguard with Honolulu Ocean Safety and was on his lunch break when the incident occurred.

“Tamayo Perry was a lifeguard loved by everyone,” Kurt Lager, acting director of marine safety, said in a press conference on Sunday. “He was well known on the North Shore. He is a world-renowned professional surfer. Tamayo’s personality was infectious, and as much as people liked him, he liked everyone else even more.”

“Our sincere condolences go out to Tamayo’s family and the entire lifeguard ohana.”

Officials said Perry was initially taken to Malaekehana by a fellow surfer after the attack. Honolulu Ocean Safety brought him back to the North Shore, where “Honolulu EMS personnel assisted in determining his death,” said Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi called Perry a “legendary waterman” at Sunday’s press conference.

“It’s just a tragic loss. … You get a call like that on a Sunday afternoon, and it’s just, just hard to imagine,” Blangiardi said.

As Nexstar’s KHON reported, shark warning signs were put up on the beach after the incident on Sunday.

Perry, a former professional surfer, competed in competitions such as the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii and the Billabong Pro Teahupoo in Tahiti.

In addition to surfing, Perry also appeared as a stuntman and actor in a few films between 2002 and 2015, including “The Big Bounce,” in which he is listed under “Stunts,” “Blue Crush,” in which he plays a character named “Tamayo,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” in which he is listed as “Buccaneer,” according to IMDb. He also appeared in a 2011 episode of “Hawaii 5-0.”