Tamayo Perry, a surfer, lifeguard, and actor who appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, has died after a shark attack. According to the Associated Press, Perry was surfing off the island of Oahu in Hawaii on Sunday afternoon when he was attacked. He was 49.
Authorities told the AP that Honolulu Ocean Safety and the city’s emergency services responded around 1 p.m. to a call regarding a man who appeared to have suffered from multiple shark bites near Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu’s North Shore. Perry was then transported to shore by paramedics via jet ski and pronounced dead at the scene. Following the attack, shark warnings were posted in the area, according to Ocean Safety officials.
Perry, who began his job with the Ocean Safety department in July 2016, was “a lifeguard loved by all,” Honolulu Ocean Safety acting chief Kurt Lager said during a press conference, as reported by the AP. “He’s well known on the North Shore. He’s a professional surfer known worldwide,” Lager continued. “Tamayo’s personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more.”
In addition to the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film, Perry played small roles in films including Blue Crush and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, as well as TV shows such as Hawaii Five-O and Lost, as outlined in his bio on the Oahu Surfing Experience website. He is survived by his wife Emilia, whose acting credits include Soul Surfer and Battleship.
Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi called Perry’s death “a tragic loss” during a press conference, according to the AP. “Tamayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected.”