November 19th 2024.
A young man named Jade Kahukore-Dixon tragically lost his life in a suspected great white shark attack while diving near the Chatham Islands. His father, Jacky Dixon, fondly remembers his son as an "amazing boy" who had a deep love for fishing and diving. Jade, who was only 24 years old, had been diving off a boat in the islands when the shark attack occurred on Tuesday morning. Despite being brought to the Waitangi Wharf and receiving medical attention at the Chatham Islands Health Centre, he unfortunately passed away.
Jade's father, still in shock and grief, shared that he had limited information about what happened to his son. He had been told that Jade was killed by a great white shark. The news was devastating and he couldn't believe it. Through tears, he expressed how he kept picturing Jade when he was just a little boy. The thought of not having his son with him anymore was heartbreaking.
According to Dixon, his son was a tough and courageous young man who had a passion for fishing and diving from a young age. He would do anything to protect his family and was a much-loved member of their household. Jade, who lived on the Chatham Islands, worked as a commercial diver and harvested paua and kina. His father mentioned that Jade would often encounter great white sharks during his dives, but he was never afraid of them. In fact, he believed that he was one with the ocean.
Dixon, who lives in Hawke's Bay, shared a story about how his son would handle encounters with sharks. If he spotted one while diving, he would hold his breath and hide behind rocks on the ocean floor. Then, he would try to sneak back to the boat before the shark noticed him. This was a routine that Jade followed every time. However, about four years ago, he had a near-miss. His friend, who was keeping track of the time, became concerned when Jade didn't resurface. He jumped in and found that Jade's foot was stuck under a rock. He was able to free him and save his life.
Aside from diving, Jade also had a business called Nomad Diving Limited, which he had recently formed. He was also a talented rugby player and was recognized as one of the outstanding young players in the Chatham Islands rugby squad. He attended Hastings Boy High School and even represented the school in a regional chess tournament. Jade and his brother Cayne were raised by their Koru and "Nanny" Wayne and Donna Dixon. According to his father, Jade was fearless and would never back down from a challenge.
The Chatham Islands mayor, Monique Croon, knew Jade personally and described him as a well-known and well-liked local boy. She also shared that his passing was a huge loss for the commercial divers in the community, as it is their biggest fear. The news has left the entire community in shock.
Kina Scollay, a shark researcher who survived a great white shark attack while free diving in the same area, expressed how incredibly tragic and sad this incident was. He also mentioned that shark attacks in the waters surrounding the Chatham Islands are rare, but there has been a history of sharks being sighted in the area due to the blue cod fishing boom in the past century. This is the second tragedy to hit the small island community this month, following the death of a well-known farmer and Kaumātua, George Te Nera Goomes, in a motorcycle accident.
This article was originally published on Stuff and has been shared here with permission. The loss of Jade Kahukore-Dixon is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers that come with living and working in the ocean, and the impact it has on those who knew and loved him. May he rest in peace.
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