A teenage boy, Jahmari Reid, 16, lost his life in a suspected shark attack on August 26, 2024, while spearfishing near Falmouth, Jamaica. Jahmari, a Trelawny resident and a pupil at William Knibb Memorial High School, had embarked on a solo spearfishing expedition, an activity he had engaged in since his early years.
When Jahmari failed to return home as usual, his family grew alarmed and initiated a search. Christopher Reynolds, a local fisherman, reported that a group of divers found Jahmari’s body the following morning during the search. He noted that a large tiger shark was seen near the site where Jahmari’s body was discovered, shortly after a severed arm was found in the water.
Reynolds explained that the fishermen tried to shoot the shark while retrieving Jahmari’s body, but were unsuccessful. Police reports confirm that Jahmari’s head and left hand were missing when his body was recovered. Reynolds revealed that they hope to find and kill the shark, and to recover Jahmari’s head from inside the creature.
Jahmari’s father, Michael Reid, expressed his disbelief and sorrow in an interview with the local press. “I can’t believe that he went to sea by himself… and that was the outcome,” he stated.
Overwhelmed by grief, Jahmari’s mother, Lavern Robinson, struggled to find words to express her feelings. She mentioned that Jahmari had a passion for the sea and often accompanied his uncle on fishing trips. He was in the tenth grade and was preparing for eleventh grade.
Fritz Christie, President of the Falmouth Fisherfolks Benevolent Society, revealed that this incident marks the first fatal shark attack in the Trelawny region in recent memory. He suggested that the shark might have followed a cruise ship into the area and stayed there.
Authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident and are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to ascertain if a shark was indeed the cause of Jahmari’s death. Even without official confirmation, the incident has sparked concern among local fishermen, who are now advocating for increased caution in the waters.
Shark attacks are exceedingly rare in Jamaica, with only three unprovoked instances documented since 1749. The unusual nature of this incident has left the community on high alert as efforts to find the shark believed responsible continue.