A tragic accident on Sunday, July 9 in the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia, claimed the life of a Hawaiian surfing legend.
Mikala Jones, 44, suffered a severe injury while surfing, resulting in his untimely death.
Jones, 44, a devoted husband and father of three, was living at the Awera Resort with his family at the time of his death. As reported by Surfline, a prominent surfing website, Jones injured his left groin on his surfboard fin, which caused a gash approximately four inches in length. Friends of the surfer shared on social media that the injury resulted in a severed femoral artery, leading to significant blood loss, although the precise circumstances surrounding his death remain uncertain.
Jones was an admired figure in Hawaii’s surfing community, renowned for his expertise in tube surfing – a form of surfing that involves riding inside the barrel of a wave. His adventures were often captured in stunning GoPro videos, leading Surfline to dub him “one of the 21st century’s most photogenic surfers.”
Isabella Jones, Jones’ daughter, confirmed her father’s passing on Instagram, sharing cherished photos of their shared surfing experiences and expressing her shock at the event.
Tributes for the fallen surfer have poured in from the global surfing community. Three-time World Champion surfer Mick Fanning paid tribute to Jones in an Instagram post, lauding his unique personality and his role as a loving husband and father.
Additionally, T&C Surf Designs, a Hawaiian surfboard manufacturing company, paid tribute to Jones on Facebook, remembering his calm demeanor, warm smile, and his passion for deep barrel riding.