When beloved actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner died on July 20, 2025, in an accidental drowning, he was vacationing with his family in Costa Rica, a source confirmed to People.
Authorities said Warner, who was 54, drowned while swimming at a beach in Playa Cocles, located on the Caribbean coast, when a strong current, or rip tide, swept him offshore, according to the Associated Press.
The beach town of Playa Cocles, located in Limon Province, is a popular destination for surfers because of its abundant waves and laid-back vibes, per multiple tourist sites. But the strong, unpredictable rip tides there have also been cited by travel experts and researchers who have deemed it one of the most dangerous beaches in Costa Rica.
Rip Tides Where Malcolm-Jamal Warner Drowned Can Be Too Strong for Olympic Swimmers to Survive, Research Shows
In 2009, researchers at the National University of Costa Rica developed a comprehensive risk assessment study to measure and build awareness around potential dangers at more than 100 beaches along the country’s Pacific and Caribbean coasts, according to The Costa Rica Star.
Playa Cocles, where Warner died, was named “the most dangerous beach in the Atlantic Coast,” according to the outlet, because of its rip currents and “irregular conditions of the beach.”
In November 2016, researchers at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada, worked with officials in Costa Rica on a study aimed at preventing drowning deaths due to dangerous rip currents, which a summary of the study defined as “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that can swiftly transport swimmers a significant distance off-shore.”
Professor Chris Houser, an expert in earth and environmental sciences, worked with the National University of Costa Rica, the United States embassy in Costa Rica, and the Red Cross to measure rip tides there and establish new laws, including training for lifeguards to spot rip tides and alerts for beachgoers, the summary said.
A lifeguard program was specifically set up at Playa Cocles beach because, Houser reported, it was where they measured “the worst rips in Costa Rica.” The rip tides there were so strong, he said, that “even an Olympic swimmer could get swept up and drown trying to fight the current.”
Playa Cocles Has Luxury Hotels & Eateries Nearby
A 2022 video about Playa Cocles from travel vlog “The World at Your Feet” said the white sand beach is best for surfers from January to March, when waves are highest.
Located near Puerto Viejo, the beach stretches nearly a mile, according to travel blogger James Kaiser, who recommended two luxury hotels — Le Cameleon and Geckoes Lodge. He also wrote that there are multiple “laid-back restaurants” located just across from the beach.
It’s not clear where Warner and his family, including his wife and daughter, were staying on their vacation. However, a statement from the Costa Rica Red Cross said it responded to the âwater-relatedâ incident at the Playa Grande resort in Cahuita, Limón at around 2:10 p.m. on July 20, per People.
TMZ published a photo and video of the actor arriving at the Costa Rica airport on July 13, one week before his tragic death.
Warner was best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on 80s sitcom “The Cosby Show,” but his most recent work has included five seasons on FOX’s “The Residents” and, in April, appearing in his final TV role as Chief Inspector Bill Houston on âAlert: Missing Persons Unit.â
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