The Hawaii man killed in a fatal shark ‘encounter’ off the coast of Maui has been identified as 39-year-old Jason Carter.
Carter, hailing from the seaside community of Haiku, died Saturday. Officials arrived at the scene around 11.19am as lifeguards were carrying the man on a jet ski to shore.
‘Once onshore, life-saving measures were performed by first responder personnel until medic personnel arrived to transport the male to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for further treatment,’ the Maui Police Department said in a statement.
The 39-year-old later succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities did not characterize the incident as an attack and did not describe the extent of Carter’s wounds, but the MPD extended their condolences to the man’s family and friends.
The man killed in a fatal shark ‘encounter’ Saturday has been identified as Jason Carter, 39, of Haiku, Hawaii
Carter was carried ashore by lifeguards and taken to the Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he later died
Authorities did not immediately characterize the incident as an attack and declined to elaborate on the extent of Carter’s injuries
Carter was fatally injured near Paia Bay, a stretch of sandy beach popular with bodyboarders and surfers.
Following the incident, warning signs were posted a mile in either direction from the scene.
Officials announced that nearby Baldwin Beach Park and Baby Beach would be closed Saturday.
According to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Carter was in the water during ‘mixed’ water conditions resulting from high surf.
‘By noon on Sunday, if no further signs of shark activity are detected, signs will be taken down,’ the department said in a Facebook post.
According to the DNLR’s shark incident database, this is the eighth shark-related incident to occur this year.
It is also the only one to have ended in a fatality.
Carter’s Facebook profile is full of photos of beach sunsets and the young man coasting down snowy slopes.
The 39-year-old was fatally injured near Paia Bay in Maui, a sandy beach popular with surfers and bodyboarders
Shark warning signs were posted a mile in either direction from the site of the incident
Carter (left) was an avid sportsman who formerly worked at ski lodges in Oregon
Friends commemorated the young man’s life on social media, recalling his smile and describing him as a ‘legend’
According to his profile, the 39-year-old formerly worked at ski lodges across Oregon.
Friends took to social media to fondly recall the man they knew as Jay.
‘Love you Brother. You are a Legend and so loved. We will continue to shred down here and know you will too. RIP,’ one man wrote.
‘Oh man. Another amazing friend and an amazing person gone,’ wrote remarked. ‘Rest easy my friend.’
Another friend wrote that his smile would ‘always be in my head,’ adding: ‘Thanks for everything.’
Maui Police Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment.