Late on Sunday night, Tavaughn and Tavaris Bulgin, brothers, leaped off the Jaws bridge. Tuesday saw the continuation of a marine search despite the recovery of one body.
Tavaughn Bulgin, 21, went missing after jumping off the “Jaws” bridge on Martha’s Vineyard late on Sunday night. Police searched for him again on Tuesday. According to officials, he dove into the lake alongside his 26-year-old brother Tavaris Bulgin and two other people. On Monday morning, Tavaris’ body was located. Tavaughn is said to be deceased.
First responders were called to the American Legion Memorial Bridge between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs at around 11:20 p.m. on Sunday, a Coast Guard spokesperson told Boston.com. Swimmers frequently jump off the Jaws bridge and into the waters below because it was featured in the “Jaws” movie.
The two Bulgin brothers were one of a group of four pals who jumped from the Jaws bridge. The other two managed to safely exit the water, but Tavaris and Tavaughn were nowhere to be found.
On Monday, around 6:30 a.m., police discovered Tavaris Bulgin’s body.
The four buddies allegedly leapt from the Jaws bridge, according to a Facebook post by Omar George, who describes himself as a family friend of the brothers and their parents. George noted that one brother “got in difficulty,” while the other “possibly went to aid.”
Locals occasionally refer to the Jaws bridge as “Big Bridge” as it is situated alongside Joseph A. Sylvia State Beach. It divides Sengekontacket Pond from Nantucket Sound. Even though there are signs warning people that leaping off the bridge is forbidden, many people nonetheless do so every summer.
About 15 feet of water are submerged beneath the Jaws bridge. Strong currents might endanger swimmers depending on the tides. In addition to creating risks, the adjacent rocks can catch weaker swimmers off surprise.
According to state senator Julian Cyr, who spoke with the Globe, educating people—in particular Martha’s Vineyard’s seasonal workers—is the best way to prevent accidents at the bridge in the future. He argued that the best use of the limited resources available to law enforcement would not be to increase police patrols on the bridge and crack down on leaping.
Throughout Sunday night and Monday morning, members of the Coast Guard, Massachusetts State Police, and local law enforcement continued their search. However, due to tide changes, they were forced to stop at noon, according to Oak Bluffs Fire Chief Nelson Wirtz, who spoke to The Boston Globe. Some vehicles, including a Coast Guard ship and an MSP helicopter, were able to keep going.
On Monday afternoon, the search was mainly focused on the ocean side of the bridge, according to an MSP post on Twitter.
The MSP Marine Unit and Dive Team suspended the search around 4:30 p.m. Monday, and promised to return Tuesday with members of the Massachusetts Environmental Police.
On Tuesday morning, divers and other police units resumed the search, focusing on the side of the bridge bordering the inlet and pond, a State Police spokesman told the Globe. Police deployed side-scanning sonar technology Tuesday, which allows searchers to map the seafloor.
To find items or anomalies in the water column or on the ocean floor, we use sidescan sonar. According to a tweet from the MSP Twitter account, “If sonar detects something, we’ll dive on it.
Crews moved back to the ocean side of the jaws bridge Tuesday morning after failing to locate Tavaughn Bulgin’s body. However, the official said that because of hazardous weather, Tuesday’s search was discontinued at 1 p.m. The safety of resuming the search will be determined going forward by daily evaluations of the weather.
The Bulgin brothers were from the Jamaican town of Clarendon. They were working at Nomans restaurant and spending the summer in Oak Bluffs. According to an Instagram post, the restaurant was closed on Tuesday and expected to reopen on Wednesday.
According to the Jamaica Observer, Tavaris and Tavaughn visited the United States as part of a work-and-travel programme for college-age students.
Tavaris and Tavaughn are the sons of Rev. Keith Bulgin, pastor of Palmers Cross New Testament Church of God in Clarendon, according to a spokeswoman for the Bulgin family who talked to the Globe. The brothers have two sisters as well. After hearing the devastating news, some family members sought medical assistance.
The two brothers grew up in the church, accompanying their father and playing music during services. They both attended college and majored in business. According to the Observer, one went to the University of the West Indies and the other to the University of Technology, Jamaica.
George talked about being the best man at Rev. Bulgin’s wedding in a Facebook post. He claimed that the two lads were like sons to him and that they frequently visited his Connecticut home before departing for Martha’s Vineyard.
Just such a visit took place recently, according to George. The Bulgin brothers prepared meals for him and boasted about working in a restaurant that President Barack Obama had frequented.
According to what he wrote, George drove the brothers to Massachusetts. Last week, they called to wish him a happy birthday and promised to celebrate when they got back.