Rugby player, 24, killed in great white shark attack while diving off coast near New Zealand
19 November 2024, 12:09 | Updated: 19 November 2024, 12:47
A rugby player has been mauled to death by a great white shark after diving off a boat.
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24-year-old Jade Kahukore-Dixon leapt into waters off remote islands near New Zealand and was savaged by the beast on Tuesday.
The emergency services attended the scene closeby to Chatham Islands and Jade was taken to hospital and later died.
A police spokesman said: "Emergency services were called around midday, following reports the man - who had been diving off a boat - had been critically injured.
"He was rushed to Chatham Island Hospital, but has since died."
His devastated father Jacky Dixon referred to him as an "amazing boy" in a moving tribute.
He said his son had "loved fishing and diving" from an early age.
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Speaking to the New Zealand media outlet Stuff, he said: "I couldn’t believe it. I kept picturing him when he was little. I’m not going to have my son."
"He would do anything to protect his family. He was an amazing boy, a very much loved member of the family."
Jacky shared that his son would typically hold his breath and hide behind rocks on the sea floor if he saw a shark while diving.
He added: "Then he would try to sneak back to the boat before the sharks saw him. He’d do that every time."
Jacky said Jade had only narrowly escaped a shark attack four years ago, following his foot get trapping.
He said: "His mate was timing him and thought ‘nah he’s gone down there for too long’.
"His mate jumped in, swam down there and Jade's foot was stuck under a rock.
"He couldn’t get out and his mate freed his foot and got him up and saved his life."
Chatham Islands mayor Monique Croon said the community is in "total shock".
Jade was one of the outstanding young players in the Chatham Islands rugby squad in 2018.
Speaking to Stuff, she said: "He’s a local boy. He’s well-known, well-liked and this will be pretty devastating for our commercial divers.
"It’s the biggest risk - the biggest fear."
