News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. Aug. 16, 2022: Massachusetts state police this afternoon suspended their search on Martha’s Vineyard for a 21-year-old Caribbean immigrant who went missing Sunday night after he and his older brother jumped from a bridge connecting Edgartown and Oak Bluffs.
State Police suspended their water search for the missing brother who jumped from the “Jaws Bridge” on Martha’s Vineyard and didn’t resurface, as poor weather “caused dangerous conditions” for divers in the water.
State Police divers and Marine Unit crews have been looking for Tavaughn Bulgin, a 21-year-old Jamaican man from Clarendon, Jamaica, who’s a seasonal worker at a restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard.
Police on Monday recovered the body of his 26-year-old brother, Tavaris, who also jumped into the water from the “Jaws Bridge” late Sunday night.
“State Police Marine and Dive units and Environmental Police today cleared the inlet/pond on the land side of the American Legion Memorial Bridge without locating Tavaughn Bulgin, 21,” a State Police spokesman said in a statement.
“Units began searching the Atlantic Ocean side of the bridge but were hampered by poor weather that caused dangerous conditions,” the spokesman added. “As such, we had to suspend the water search for the remainder of the day. We will assess weather conditions on a day-by-day basis to determine when conditions are safe for divers to resume.”
Earlier on Tuesday, State Police resumed their search with several divers and a Marine Unit boat and crew working alongside Environmental Police officers.
“Environmental Police are deploying a sidescan sonar device, which uses sound waves to detect objects or anomalies in the water column or on the ocean floor,” the State Police spokesman said.
“If the EPO sonar detects an anomaly, our Underwater Recovery Unit members will dive on it to determine what it is,” the spokesman added. “The overall area they have searched/are searching is very large, encompassing both the inlet on the land side of the bridge and the ocean on the seaward side.”
Jumping off the bridge is not allowed, but kids growing up on the island and tourists have done so for decades.
The jump to the water may be from a height of around 20 feet, depending on the tide, into a strong current that pulls swimmers toward the sea.
Omar George, who said he is a friend of the boys parents Rev. Keith & Jackie Bulgin, took to Facebook to express “unspeakable grief” at the tragedy. He said the parents are pastors at the Palmer’s Cross New Testament Church of God in Clarendon, Jamaica.
“These two boys are like my blood sons. I loved them so much. I know them from birth,” he posted. “They are good, godly, smart, jovial, crazy, full of life and talented individuals . They usually stopped in at my home to spend a few days before going off to their Summer Employment Program in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. On their way back they would come in spend a few days before returning home to Jamaica. While here a few weeks ago , they cooked the nicest food for me and boasted that they worked in the kitchen of the Restaurant that cooked for Pres. Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett and last week Simon Cowell from American Idol was there.”
“A few weeks ago, I was the one that drove them to Martha’s Vineyard. They both called me for my birthday about 4 days ago, in usual fashion, the call was hilarious. They promised to have a celebration for me when they come back in a few weeks,” he added. “Please pray for my best friend Pastor Keith Bulgin, his wife Jackie, their sisters Tavanny and Tavania.. If this pains me so much I can’t even to begin to imagine what’s happening to them. God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob we need you.. this is too much.”
