Tamayo Perry, surfer and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor, killed by shark in Hawaii

The 49-year-old professional lifeguard was surfing on Malaekahana beach when he was attacked by a shark.

Known in Hollywood for some supporting roles, notably in Pirates of the Caribbeansurfer Tamayo Perry was killed on Sunday June 23 during a shark attack on the American archipelago of Hawaii, according to local authorities.

A figure on the island of Oahu, this 49-year-old professional lifeguard was surfing on Malaekahana beach when he was attacked by a shark at midday. Emergency services were called “for a surfer fatally injured after a shark attack”, explained Shayne Enright, a local official, during a press conference.

His body was “brought back to the beach” and he was pronounced dead on the sand, she explained. “Tamayo was a legendary sailor”, greeted Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, deploring a “tragic loss”.

This former professional surfer made a name for himself at the turn of the 2000s as one of the specialists on Pipeline, one of the most dangerous waves in the world and a true Mecca of sport, on the famous “North Shore” of Oahu .

This notoriety notably allowed him to make an appearance in the surf film Blue Crush (2002).

A foray into Hollywood which then allowed him to land other supporting roles, notably in Charlie’s Angels: The Angels are unleashed! (2003), in the series Hawaii Five-O (2011) and in the fourth part of the saga Pirates of the Caribbean (2011).

Shark attacks are a known risk in Hawaii, but they are rarely fatal: out of 81 “incidents” involving surfers, swimmers or divers recorded over the last ten years, only five people have died according to a list of authorities.

A significant number of shark bites worldwide are due to “identification error”, according to a study published in 2021 in the journal of the Royal Society. In other words, sharks attacking surfers or swimmers have such poor eyesight that they probably mistake them for their usual prey, like sea lions.