Malcolm Jamal-Warner Drowning Death: Second Swimmer Survived Ordeal

Published: Jul 23 2025

On Sunday, first responders in Costa Rica heroically attempted to revive a distressed swimmer through CPR, successfully bringing one back to life but tragically failing to save "The Cosby Show" star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, as confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter. A statement issued by the Costa Rican Red Cross revealed that at 2:10 p.m. on that fateful day, emergency personnel were dispatched to Playa Grande, Cahuita, Limon, following reports of a "water-related incident" involving two male swimmers in dire need of medical assistance.

Malcolm Jamal-Warner Drowning Death: Second Swimmer Survived Ordeal 1

Three ambulances swiftly raced to the oceanside beach, where emergency workers attended to two adult males. One of the swimmers, after receiving CPR, was miraculously revived though in "critical condition" and was promptly transported to a local Limon clinic for further treatment, according to the Red Cross narrative.

However, the second swimmer, revealed to be Warner, could not be saved despite the paramedics' valiant efforts. CPR proved futile, and he was unfortunately pronounced deceased at the scene, the statement solemnly noted. Subsequently, the first responders relinquished control of the situation to Costa Rican police authorities to ensure the commencement of the necessary legal procedures.

Warner, the late Emmy-nominated actor, and director, best known for portraying Theo Huxtable in the long-running Bill Cosby comedy, has since garnered an outpouring of tributes from the entertainment industry upon news of his accidental drowning. Prominent figures such as Questlove, Tracee Ellis Ross, Magic Johnson, Jamie Foxx, Taraji P. Henson, Ben Crump, Senator Raphael Warnock of Atlanta, and musician Maxwell have publicly mourned Warner.

Earlier, Costa Rica's National Police had declared that Warner succumbed to asphyxia after being swept away by a powerful ocean current near a Limon beach. Authorities have officially identified his body.

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