The two men who went missing after jump from a well-known Martha’s Vineyard bridge featured in the horror classic “Jaws” have been identified as two Jamaican brothers working seasonal jobs in the area.
One of the siblings, Tavaris Bulgin, 26, was found dead early Monday, the Cape and Islands District Attorney said.
The search for the victim’s 21-year-old brother, Tavaughn Bulgin, was suspended Tuesday afternoon due to dangerous weather conditions, officials said. He had not been found on Wednesday.
The Bulgin siblings – the sons of a Jamaican pastor – were among four people who jumped off the so-called Jaws Bridge into 15 feet of water on Sunday night, the prosecutor’s office said.
Two of the jumpers got out of the water safely, but the Bulgins began to struggle in the strong current and were unable to reach shore.
The U.S. Coast Guard, State Police, and local police responded and began scouring the water for the missing duo.
Around 6:30 a.m. Monday, Tavaris’ body was recovered.
Authorities returned to the scene on Tuesday, armed with side-scan sonar to search for Tavaughn, who was missing and presumed dead.
After halting the search around 3 p.m., state police said they would assess weather conditions daily to determine when it would be safe enough for divers to get back in the water.
The Bulgins were seasonal workers at Nomans Restaurant in Martha’s Vineyard. Their father, the Reverend 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.
A GoFundMe campaign that was launched to help the Bulgin family transport the bodies of the brothers home for burial and to cover their funeral expenses described the couple in glowing terms.
“Tavaris and Tavaughn left an impression on everyone they met – at 26 and 21, their bright smiles, charismatic personalities, unwavering faith and unwavering positive attitude made them an absolute joy,” wrote l organizer Doug Abdelnour on the fundraising page. .
Tavaris had recently graduated from the Jamaica University of Technology and Tavaughn was studying business at the University of the West Indies.
Both men played music and were active in their father’s ministry in Clarendon.
“Tavaris was well known as a beloved school teacher, and Tavaughn was known to be a musical prodigy and a gifted soccer/soccer player,” Abdelnour said. “Both boys were destined to make an impact in every community they served and in every endeavor they pursued.”
George Omar, a family friend who witnessed Reverend Bulgin’s wedding years earlier, writes on facebook that Tavaris and Tavaugh were like his “blood sons”.
“Loved them so much,” he wrote. “I have known them since birth. They are good, pious, intelligent, jovial, crazy, full of life and talented individuals.
Omar revealed that the siblings visited him at his Connecticut home just a few weeks ago and cooked for him.
“I was the one who drove them to Martha’s Vineyard,” he said. “They both called me for my birthday about 4 days ago… They promised to throw a party for me when they come back in a few weeks.”
The brothers are survived by their parents, Reverend Bulgin and his wife, Jackie, and their two sisters, Tavanny and Tavania.
The bridge that connects the towns of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown is officially the American Legion Memorial Bridge, but is commonly referred to as the Jaws Bridge. During the summer months, people line up to jump off the span – even though there are signs nearby warning the public that such activity is prohibited.