Famous surfer from “Pirates of the Caribbean” killed in shark attack

A professional lifeguard and pipeline surfer who also appeared in films such as “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Blue Crush” died when he was attacked by a shark while surfing off the Hawaiian island of Oahu on Sunday afternoon.

Authorities said Honolulu Ocean Safety Services and other emergency services received a distress call around 1 p.m. reporting that a surfer had been bitten multiple times by sharks at Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu’s north shore.

Lifeguards were able to bring him to shore on a jet ski, where he was later pronounced dead, Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Department said during a news conference.

Following the attack, shark warnings were issued in the area.

The man was 49-year-old Tamayo Perry, who had worked as a lifeguard for Honolulu Ocean Safety for eight years and was also known worldwide as a professional surfer.

Kurt Lager, acting director of Honolulu Ocean Safety, said Perry was “a lifeguard loved by all.”

In a Facebook post, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi described Perry as a “well-known North Shore ferryman” who “embodied bravery, commitment and a deep sense of duty and served our community with unwavering devotion. His heroic actions and tireless efforts to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors will never be forgotten.”

According to Surfline, a California surf forecasting and news website, Perry was born and raised on Oahu and made a name for himself in the surfing community after winning the Pipe Masters Trials in 1999.

According to the school’s website, he and his wife Emilia ran a surf school called Oahu Surfing Experience.

Perry dedicated himself to teaching safe surfing practices and surfing etiquette after suffering a near-fatal head injury during a competition when he was struck by a surfboard left behind by his rider, Surfline reported.

Perry is listed as an actor on IMDb and has appeared in an episode of “Hawaii Five-0” and in the film “The Big Bounce,” among others.

According to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, there have been four shark incidents in Hawaii so far this year – including one in which a tiger shark bit off the tail of a surfboard but did not injure the surfer. Most of the rare shark attacks in Hawaii involve surfers, and a small percentage are fatal.