Malcolm-Jamal Warner and his 8-year-old daughter were swimming together at a Costa Rican beach on Sunday when he accidentally drowned, and the minor was rescued, authorities said.
Warner, who is fondly remembered for starring in The Cosby Show, and his daughter were seen in distress by surfers who ultimately dove in to try and rescue them, ABC News reported.
Warner’s daughter was safely evacuated after a surfer used his board to return her to the shore, while Warner and another surfer were pulled out of the water by a volunteer lifeguard. Police said after Warner, 54, was returned to shore, he received CPR for 45 minutes. He was, however, ultimately pronounced dead.
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Warner underwent an autopsy, and his cause of death was ruled as accidental asphyxiation by submersion. Police also said the two surfers survived.
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Warner was dragged by a water current and drowned at Playa Grande in Limon, Costa Rica, the Caribbean Guard wrote Monday in a Facebook post. The nation’s volunteer lifeguard group also stated that there was no lifeguard on duty at the time of the incident.
“Playa Grande is one of our most challenging beaches,” the Caribbean Guard wrote. “It’s a beach known by local surfers and there are signs (in English and Spanish) that warn of the danger of death by drowning.”
However, the lifeguard group had moved resources to two other nearby beaches, Playa Negra and Chiquita, known for their own strong currents.
“Due to recent aquatic incidents in Playa Negra, we had redirected resources there and to Chiquita, another iconic beach known for its strong currents,” the statement noted.
“From Caribbean Guard, a volunteer lifeguard association, we make an urgent appeal to the President of the Nation, the national government, the Municipality of Talamanca, and the entire Caribbean community to continue joining forces to minimize this problem, which, sadly, is on the rise ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.”
“We do everything within our reach. We have saved numerous lives in recent years, and if Caribbean Guard didn’t exist, the number of drownings would be counted in dozens. We give everything we have to minimize the risks, but without help from the government, clear public policies, and strong support from local business owners, this will continue to happen,” the statement added.
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