A 16-year-old school boy was mauled to death and decapitated in a bloody shark attack as he swam in paradise close to a much-loved holiday hotsppot.
The horrific shark attack in Jamaican waters ended with Jahmari Reid’s heartbroken father, Michael Reid, looking on as his son’s mauled remains were recovered and brought ashore.
The retired taxi operator said: “I can’t believe that he went to sea by himself and that was the outcome. Sad to know. I feel so bad.”
Divers recovered Jahmari Reid’s body off the coast with his head reportedly bitten off and his left arm missing. The student had gone on a solo spearfishing expedition near Montego Bay, local police said.
He vanished on Monday 26 August 2024 sparking a mammoth man hunt which resolved on Tuesday morning.Witnesses told the Jamaica Observer the teen’s body was left badly mutilated in the attack.
Michael said he warned Jahmari of the dangers of spearfishing alone before his death. Fisherman Christopher Reynolds was with the Michael on the beach along with a group of locals.
He said divers claimed to have seen a huge tiger shark in the water near to where Jahmari’s body was found. Locals have tried to shoot the shark which they believe most likely attacked Jahmari.
Reynolds added: “All of the fisherman went out there and, while they were diving to take him up, they saw the big shark. They shot at him but they didn’t get him.”
According to Fritz Christie, the president of Falmouth Fisherfolks Benevolent Society, it was the first time the savage beasts have killed in Trelawny waters.
Locals believe the shark followed a cruise ship into the bay. Fritz told local media: “What we have to do is make certain when the ships come to be careful of the diving. The shark eat off the man head, eat off one of his hand [sic]. It’s crazy, man.”
Jahmari was a William Knibb Memorial High School student from Trelawny. He was due to return to school in September after the holidays.
It came before a family’s beach outing turned into a nightmare when a young lad was attacked by a shark. Richard Burrows was snorkelling with his father, David Burrows, 48, and his 10 year old sister, Rose Burrows, around 3pm local time at Horseshoe Reef, about four miles off Key Largo near John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park when the horrifying incident occurred.
Richard sustained a “significant” knee injury after being bitten, and his quick-thinking dad applied a tourniquet to his son’s leg to halt the bleeding on the spot. Richard was then airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in Miami in critical condition.
Doctors operated on Richard and managed to save his leg, Sheriff Rick Ramsay confirmed. His family issued a statement : “The initial injury inflicted on Richard was significant, but due to the help of a number of people, it was contained.
“Richard’s 10 year old sister, Rose, played a crucial role in her brother’s rescue and both of her parents are immensely proud of the strength of character and composure she demonstrated under pressure.”, reports the Mirror.
“Richard is recovering well from his surgery and is gaining strength by the day. He is in good spirits. Our hope is that he will be back enjoying his passion for the ocean and marine life with his older sister in no time,” the family added.
Florida is one of the world’s hotspots for shark encounters. Last year, the state recorded 14 shark bites – half of all US cases and nearly a third of global incidents, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. The species behind Monday’s horrific attack, which has left the boy battling for his life, has yet to be confirmed by authorities.