Body of second brother who died jumping off ‘Jaws’ bridge recovered
The body of the younger of two Jamaican brothers who died jumping from the so-called “Jaws” bridge in Martha’s Vineyard last weekend was recovered on Thursday, police announced.
Massachusetts State Police said a shell fisherman discovered a body matching the description of 21-year-old Tavaughn Bulgin on the edge of a pond at about 11:30 a.m., agency spokesperson David Procopio wrote in a statement.
The grim discovery was made in a marshy area in about 15 feet of water.
The body of Tavaris Bulgin, 26, Tavaughn’s brother, was found on Monday morning.
The Bulgin siblings — the sons of a pastor from Jamaica — were among four people who leaped from the popular bridge that was featured in the 1975 horror classic “Jaws” on Sunday night.
The two other jumpers, who were the brothers’ co-workers at a local restaurant, made it to shore safely, but the Bulgins went missing.
The US Coast Guard, state and local police responded and recovered the older brother’s body early the next day.
After being unable to find Tavaughn Bulgin, rescuers returned on Tuesday with a side-scan sonar device, but were forced to halt the operation that afternoon because of dangerous weather conditions.
The Bulgins were seasonal workers at Nomans Restaurant in Martha’s Vineyard. Their father, the Rev. Keith Bulgin, is a pastor at a church in the family’s hometown of Clarendon, Jamaica, where a vigil was held in their honor on Monday, reported the Jamaica Gleaner.
Tavaris had recently graduated from the University of Technology in Jamaica, and Tavaughn was studying business at the University of West Indies.
“Tavaris and Tavaughn left an impression on everyone they met — at 26 and 21 years old, their bright smiles, charismatic personalities, unshakeable faith and unrelenting positive attitude made them an absolute joy to be around,” wrote Doug Abdelnour in the description of a GoFundMe campaign seeking donations to help transport the brothers back to Jamaica for burial.
George Omar, a family friend, wrote on Facebook that Tavaris and Tavaughn were like his “blood sons.”
Commonly called the “Jaws” bridge, it links the towns of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. Also known as the Big Bridge, it is officially the American Legion Memorial Bridge, and spans an inlet that connects Nantucket Sound with Sengekontacket Pond.
Despite signs prohibiting the activity, thrill seekers are frequently seen leaping from the span.
With Post wires
