New details are being revealed in regards to Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s tragic death at a Costa Rica beach.
According to Roger Sanz, the President of the Chamber of Tourism and Commerce of the Southern Caribbean, Warner died at Playa Grande in the Southern Caribbean. He was 54.
“Playa Grande is located between Manzanillo and Punta Boa,” Sanz shared in a statement to Us Weekly on Monday, July 21. “It’s a very large beach, well known among surfers. It has strong currents and generates many waves, making it a highly active area.”
According to Sanz, a watch tower was installed nearby courtesy of volunteers and an organization called Caribbean Guard.
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“There are over 50 certified volunteers with full training in first aid and rescue, who patrol the beaches of the Southern Caribbean,” Sanz explained. “We are a very well-organized destination.”
Sanz said that many hotel and vacation rental operators inform guests about the oceans nearby, but acknowledged “unfortunately, not all of them do.”
“That’s where problems arise, when people come and don’t know about the currents or sea conditions,” Sanz claimed. “That can lead to fatalities and tragedies like the one that occurred this past Sunday, when the American actor drowned.”
Costa Rican National Police confirmed to ABC News on Monday that Warner drowned at a beach in Costa Rica. His cause of death was reported to be asphyxia.
Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department revealed to Us that a preliminary investigation showed the victim “appeared to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current.”
After the man was rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross. Ultimately, he was declared dead at the scene.
“Despite the rescue efforts made by Caribbean Guard volunteers at Playa Grande, the actor — who was vacationing in the area with his family — tragically lost his life,” Sanz said in a statement. “We want to make it clear that we are organized, that most of us do inform our clients and visitors. But like in every part of the world, accidents can happen — and this time, it happened to us.”
Warner was best known for playing Theodore Huxtable on NBC’s sitcom The Cosby Show. He played the fan-favorite character from 1984 to 1992 and earned an Emmy nomination.
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Most recently, he starred in the Fox medical drama The Resident for five of the show’s six seasons.
Warner was also the host of the “Not All Hood” podcast alongside Candace Kelley. The pair discussed “the lived experiences and identities of Black people in America,” according to the show’s description.
At the time of his death, Warner was married and raising a daughter. He never revealed their names, likely for privacy reasons.