“Pirates of the Caribbean” actor Tamayo Perry has died after a shark attack while surfing in Hawaii.
The 49-year-old passed away on Sunday afternoon, confirmed by Honolulu’s emergency services in a press conference.
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Emergency services were called to Malaekahana Beach around 1:00 PM local time. Despite efforts, Perry, also a lifeguard, was pronounced dead by paramedics after being brought to shore by jet ski.
Perry portrayed a buccaneer in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the fourth film in the series. The 2011 movie, featuring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, also stars Penelope Cruz and Geoffrey Rush. Perry appeared in “Lost,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Blue Crush,” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” and was in a Coca-Cola advert.
Born on the east side of Oahu, Perry had been a professional surfer for over a decade. He described his experiences surfing “the world’s deadliest wave” on the Oahu Surfing Experience website, where he was an instructor. He mentioned a “near-fatal” incident years ago caused by someone else’s “lack of awareness.”
Acting Honolulu Ocean Safety chief Kurt Lager praised Perry, calling him “a lifeguard loved by all” and well-known on Oahu’s north shore and globally. “Tamayo’s personality was infectious, and he loved everyone as much as they loved him,” Lager said, offering condolences to Perry’s family.
Mayor Rick Blangiardi echoed Lager’s sentiments, calling Perry’s death “a tragic loss” and describing him as “a legendary waterman and highly respected member of our ocean safety team.” Blangiardi asked for privacy for Perry’s family to grieve.
