A Jamaican family is mourning the death of their 16-year-old son after he was suspected to have been decapitated by a shark while he was spearfishing. According to Loop Jamaica News, the fatal Monday incident occurred off the coast in the town of Falmouth, Trelawny.
The teen, identified as Jahmari Reid, was a student at William Knibb Memorial High School. Jahmari is said to have disappeared on Monday afternoon before his mutilated body was retrieved from the sea the following day. His body was found without his head and hand.
The teen’s body was retrieved by fishermen who said they came across a huge shark during their attempt to get Jahmari’s body back to dry land. The fishermen also said that to their knowledge, the fatal shark attack marked the first time an incident of such nature had occurred in Falmouth.
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“I have been fishing for years and this never happened in Falmouth. If you are spearfishing and you have a string of fish and a shark start circling let go of the string and give him,” a fisherman advised.
Jahmari’s mother had to receive medical care at a hospital as the news of her son’s death left her overwhelmed with grief. The deceased teen’s father, Michael Reid, was also seen crying.
“I can’t believe that he went to sea by himself yesterday (Monday) and that was the outcome. Sad to know. I feel so bad,” Reid emotionally told Jamaica Observer.
Jahmari reportedly loved spearfishing, but his father said he frequently urged him to desist from engaging in that hobby. “It is something that we argue about, we fight about. He’s not doing it for a worthy cause, he’s not doing it for needs or anything. It is what it is still. Can you believe it?” he said.
Meanwhile, the president of Falmouth Fisherfolks Benevolent Society, Fritz Christie, said it was suspected the shark that killed Jahmari reached Falmouth waters after trailing a cruise vessel that came to the area.
“It look like when one of the ship come in a big shark follow the ship come in and it look like when the ship leave the shark did not leave the area. And the youth go out and he was attacked by the shark. It bit off his head,” Christie said.
He also warned spearfishers to be careful of diving anytime a cruise vessel docks at Falmouth port. “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. It’s crazy, man,” Christie said.
