A tragic shark encounter in Paia Bay, Maui, Hawaii, claimed the life of a 39-year-old man.

The incident, which took place on Saturday, December 30, 2023, sparked prompt action from both the Maui Police Department and local Ocean Safety Officers.

Upon their arrival at the beach around 11:19 a.m., the Maui Police Department found the victim, Jason Carter, who had been surfing at the time, had suffered severe injuries from the shark encounter.

After Carter was brought ashore, first responders attempted life-saving measures until medical personnel could arrive on the scene. He was then transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for further medical attention.

Despite the concerted efforts of the medical staff, Carter later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

In the aftermath of the incident, Baldwin Beach Park and Lower Paia Park, also known as Baby Beach, were closed for the rest of the day on Saturday.

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) responded by erecting shark warning signs along a one-mile stretch of beach, stretching from Tavares Bay to Baby Beach.

The DLNR stated that barring any further shark activity detected by the following Sunday noon, the warning signs would be removed.

Paia Bay is a popular spot for both locals and tourists due to its surfing and beach activities. It has, however, been the site of previous shark incidents, including a severe attack on a 51-year-old female tourist from France in September 2022.

There have been more than six shark-related incidents in Hawaii this year, with three of these taking place off the coast of Maui. This recent incident was the first fatal shark attack in Hawaii in 2023.

Previous encounters in the area involved a shark biting the tail of a surfboard near Kuau Bay and a shark biting into an inflatable stand-up paddleboard off Welakahao Road in Kihei. Fortunately, these incidents did not result in any injuries.