Samoa's Police Commissioner has sent his condolences to the family of a man who was a top fisherman and saved the lives of a number of people who came close to drowning over the years.

Amoni Lemoa Malaeulu of Lano village in Savai'i was killed on Sunday this week when he tried to move the carcass of a dead whale out to sea, due to the foul smell that it was emanating, and was attacked by sharks while out at sea. 

Responding to questions from the Samoa Observer, Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo said they are praying for peace and comfort for the grieving family as they mourn the tragic passing of their loved one.

He said the Police outpost in Savai'i was informed by the Tuasivi Hospital of the tragic accident and they began to make inquiries into the matter. A report on the death was then submitted by the hospital with the Police Commissioner saying that the Police are satisfied with its finding of the shark-attack victim dying from a heavy loss of blood.

However, Auapa'au then indicated that the Police will still await the outcome of a coroner's report on the death.

"But we now await the coroner's report on whether they are satisfied with this report or not. We express our heartfelt gratitude to the grieving family following the tragic accident. We pray for God's peace and comfort to be upon them as they mourn the loss of a loved one."

According to reports from Lano village, the late Malaeulu was attacked on Sunday evening, as he was dragging the carcass of the whale which beached in Asaga last Saturday morning. The dead mammal was washed ashore by the strong ocean currents and a foul smell started to emanate from the carcass a day later, which is when the deceased man offered to take it out to sea.

On Monday morning this week, untitled men from Lano re-discovered the body of the dead whale on the beach over 12 hours after the shark attack that claimed the life of the victim. They immediately burnt the mammal's carcass.

Meanwhile, the families and friends of the late Malaeulu have appealed to members of the public – who shared images and videos of their loved one at the hospital – to take them down from social media. They also appealed to the public to refrain from posting videos and photographs of the incident. 

They were also critical of a video posted on social media of a man attacked by sharks, which appeared to make the incident look like that experienced by the deceased. They said the dramatic footage was recorded on camera in Egypt, which claimed the life of a Russian tourist but did not happen in Savai'i or even Lano village.