The lifeguards at Playa Grande have stated that they were “not present” on the beach when Malcolm-Jamal Warner tragically lost his life due to a shortage of “resources.”

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Malcolm-Jamal Warner at Playa Grande. He was caught in a powerful rip current and drowned,” said the Caribbean Guard, Costa Rica’s volunteer lifeguard organization, in a statement released on Facebook on Monday, July 21. “The incident unfolded rapidly, and while there were beachgoers who attempted to rescue him, they were unable to reach him in time. He was retrieved from the water without any vital signs, and despite efforts to perform CPR on the beach, resuscitation was not successful.”

The Guard emphasized that Playa Grande, a beach well-known among “local surfers,” is one of their “most challenging beaches,” highlighting that there are warning signs in both Spanish and English about the dangers of drowning. Although the Guard has been patrolling this area “over the past few years,” they asserted that they were “not present” during Warner’s tragic incident.

“In light of recent water-related incidents at Playa Negra, we had to redirect our resources to that location and to Chiquita, another beach recognized for its strong currents,” the statement explained, while also making a plea to Costa Rica’s president, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, and the government. “From Caribbean Guard, a volunteer lifeguard association, we urgently call upon the President of the Nation, the national government, the Municipality of Talamanca, and the entire Caribbean community to unite efforts to address this growing issue, which is unfortunately increasing ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.”

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The statement further claimed, “We do everything within our capabilities. We have saved many lives in recent years, and without Caribbean Guard, the number of drownings would be in the dozens. We dedicate all our resources to reducing risks, but we need government assistance, clear public policies, and robust support from the community to make a significant impact.”