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Jason Carter, a 39-year-old surfer, lost his life in what authorities are calling a “shark encounter” near Paia on Maui’s north side.

Maui County’s statement confirmed that Carter, a resident of nearby Haiku, was pulled from the water by jet ski and received immediate lifesaving measures, but despite these efforts, he succumbed to his injuries at Maui Memorial Medical Center. The county has indicated that the preliminary investigation shows “no signs of foul play.”

The attack was described by an eyewitness, who compared the shark to the size of a pickup truck, noting it pulled Carter underwater. “The shark just started biting him and pulling him down,” the witness recounted.

Following the incident, Hawaii’s Land and Natural Resources Department placed warning signs along a mile of the beach on either side of where the attack occurred. This attack marks the eighth shark encounter in Hawaii last year and the first fatal one, differing from a previous severe attack in Paia Bay, where a French tourist suffered major injuries.