A 76-year-old Canadian tourist, identified as Louissaint, drowned at Flamingo Beach in Santa Cruz canton, Guanacaste, after being caught in a rip current, agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) informed.

The case began on Saturday when the Red Cross emergency responders received a call at 6:38 p.m. reporting that a tourist had been swept away while swimming. Local lifeguards later recovered Louissaint’s body and brought him to shore.

When paramedics arrived, they found him unresponsive, in cardiac arrest, and not breathing. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Red Cross coordinated with OIJ, which transferred the remains to the Judicial Forensic Medicine Complex in Heredia province. There, forensic specialists conducted an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.

Authorities have not released further details, stating that the case remains under investigation. Only the victim’s family members are authorized to request additional information.

According to the Canadian government, when a Canadian citizen dies abroad, the family must designate a representative to handle the disposition of the remains. This individual can contact Canadian consular officials at +1-613-996-8885 or via email at sos@international.gc.ca for assistance.

Consular officials can provide guidance on country-specific procedures, including obtaining information on the location of the remains, coordinating with local funeral homes, contacting authorities such as police and hospitals, and securing necessary documentation, including autopsy or police reports if applicable.

Louissaint’s death is one of the recent fatalities involving North American tourists in Costa Rica. On March 21, Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, died while vacationing in the country with his family.