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LEARN MOREPosted: 8:38 p.m. EDT Jul 11, 2023
Hawaiian surfer Mikala Jones died after a tragic surfing accident while on a trip to Indonesia. He was 44 years old.
Jones was surfing on Sunday around the Mentawai Islands near Sumatra when his surfboard's fin cut a large blood vessel in his thigh known as the femoral artery.
He was well-known for his inspiring photographs and videos taken while surfing some of the world's most powerful waves.
Jones' father told the Associated Press from Honolulu, "He was a humble artist. His pictures were incredible."
Fans of Jones' work wrote messages of condolence and sorrow on some of the images posted to his Instagram account, expressing their grief at the loss. One commenter wrote "heart breaking," with another writing "Rip brother."
Jones wrote under a previously posted video showing him incredibly surfing through a tube wave, "Besides my wife and kids, all I need is my [surfboard] and a pair of board shorts and a gopro (camera)."
His father said Jones often attempted to try to convince his children and friends to wear helmets and other protective equipment when they surfed.
He also told surfers to sandpaper the edges of their surfboards to make them dull if the fin becomes too sharp, his father said.
Jones leaves behind his wife Emma and two daughters.
Jones traveled the world surfing and taking photographs and videos of his adventures on the water, venturing to Fiji, South Africa, the Galapagos Islands and Tahiti.
He started taking selfies during his adventures in the 1990s and would attach a camera to his board with fabric, or hold it under his chin in the early days.
Later he moved on to using GoPro cameras.
His family shares their time between Indonesia and Hawaii. He also leaves behind his older sister and two younger brothers. Jones' mother died in 2011, the Associated Press reported.
