American Crocodile Kills 28-Year-Old Man at Puerto Vallarta Resort in Front of California Couple
A 28-year-old man was killed in a crocodile attack at a beach resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Friday evening, in front of witnesses including a California couple who rushed into the water in a desperate attempt to save him.
Attack Occurred at Marina Vallarta Beach
The incident took place around 6:30 p.m. local time on Marina Vallarta Beach, according to Jalisco State Police. The victim, identified as a Mexican man who had been in the city for work, was struck by an American crocodile off the coast of the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa. No further details regarding his identity have been released.
His body was recovered early Saturday morning, police confirmed in an interview with Los Angeles-based television station NBCLA.
California Couple Rushed to Help
Engaged couple Jamie Yetter and Chris Bury, from Orange County, California, were staying at the resort with Yetter’s teenage daughter when the attack happened. Speaking to NBCLA, they described hearing screams from the beach and immediately running to help.
“We thought we saw a guy stuck in a rip current, so Chris headed toward the water and I ran right behind him,” Yetter said.
In a separate interview with ABC News, Bury recalled trying to throw the man a life preserver, but the victim was in shock and did not respond to commands. He then got into a kayak and tried to paddle to the man, but it was too late.
“He went down and at that point he stayed down,” Bury said. “So I was above him, but the water was so murky you couldn’t even see half a meter down. So when I got to him, unfortunately it was too late.”
Witnesses Described a Massive Crocodile
Yetter described the size of the crocodile as it dragged the victim underwater. “The size of this crocodile, I mean, his head was as long as my torso, his tail was thicker than my legs. He just flipped it over and took it under,” she said.
Video published by local news service NoticiasPV showed the giant reptile with its mouth open and teeth visible shortly after the fatal attack.
Couple Criticized Lack of Safety Warnings
The couple expressed shock that the beach remained open the following morning with no apparent safety measures in place.
“They didn’t tell anyone it was dangerous,” Yetter told CBS. “They didn’t tell us not to go swimming. Even the next morning I went down to the sea. I assumed the beach would be closed. The beach wasn’t closed. There were no no-swimming signs.”
Resort Responded to the Incident
In a statement to ABC News, the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa said: “The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority. At the Marriott Puerto Vallarta, we have appropriate signage as well as night patrols and red flags to indicate caution in the area, and everyone was and is properly in place.”
The resort added that it reviews its “plans and procedures frequently” and “continuously works closely with relevant authorities and our staff are trained to respond appropriately to security issues.”
“Our thoughts are with the individual and their loved ones during this difficult time and are providing appropriate support in accordance with our guidelines,” the resort said.
