No lifeguard on duty when Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowned in Costa Rica
Published in Entertainment News
There was no lifeguard on duty when Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowned off the coast of Costa Rica on Sunday, according to the nation’s volunteer lifeguard group.
Warner, 54, was caught in a rip current and drowned on Playa Grande in Limon, the Caribbean Guard wrote Monday in a Facebook post.
Bystanders on the beach attempted to save Warner and performed CPR on the beach, but it was unsuccessful, the group said.
“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 rip currents.
Two other people were caught in the same rip current that killed Warner, according to TMZ. One made it out alive, while the other remained in critical condition on Tuesday.
“Without government assistance, clear public policies and strong support from local governments, this will continue to happen,” the Caribbean Guard wrote on Facebook.
Warner, who was on a family vacation to the Central American nation, was best known for playing Theo Huxtable in “The Cosby Show.” He went on to appear in several more movies and TV shows, including “Sons of Anarchy” and “Malcolm & Eddie.”
“Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life and business,” ex-NBA star Magic Johnson said. “He will truly be missed.”
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