On August 26, 2024, a 16-year-old boy, Jahmari Reid, was killed in what is believed to be a shark attack while spearfishing off the coast of Falmouth, Jamaica.

Jahmari, a resident of Trelawny and a student at William Knibb Memorial High School had gone spearfishing alone, a hobby he had enjoyed since childhood. His family grew concerned when he failed to return home as expected, and a search was initiated. 

Fisherman Christopher Reynolds reported that a group of divers discovered his body during a search on Tuesday morning. He mentioned that the group had noticed a large tiger shark near where the body was found shortly after coming across a detached arm in the water. The fishermen attempted to shoot the shark while recovering the body, but they were unsuccessful. Police reports indicate that Jahmari’s head and left hand were missing when he was found. Reynolds also mentioned that they aimed to locate and kill the shark in hopes of retrieving the boy’s severed head from inside it.

“I can’t believe that he went to sea by himself… and that was the outcome,” said his father, Michael Reid, in an interview with local media. “I feel so bad,” he added.

Meanwhile, Jahmari’s mother, Lavern Robinson, broke down in tears as she expressed her grief, explaining that she was at a loss for words. She shared that Jahmari had been going to sea since he was young, loved it, and often went out with his uncle. He was in grade 10 and preparing to enter grade 11.

According to Fritz Christie, President of the Falmouth Fisherfolks Benevolent Society, this is the first fatal shark attack in the Trelawny area in recent history. Christie speculated that the shark might have followed a cruise ship into the area and remained there.

Authorities are currently investigating the incident and awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to confirm whether a shark was indeed responsible for Jahmari’s death. Despite the lack of confirmation, the attack has raised concerns among local fishermen, who are now urging greater caution in the waters.

Shark attacks in Jamaica are extremely rare, with only three unprovoked attacks reported since 1749. The unusual nature of this incident has left the community on edge as efforts to locate the shark responsible continue.