Rescue teams from the Costa Rican Red Cross and National Coast Guard Service continue to search for 18-year-old Diorgel Hall Garth after rip currents pulled him away from shore at Playa Bonita. Hall Garth entered the water around 5:30 p.m. that Sunday while with friends. A strong current carried him out.
Witnesses saw a wave lift him before he vanished from view. Friends tried to reach him but coral and sharp rocks blocked their path. The Red Cross launched a search immediately. Teams halted operations after dark because of waves up to three meters high and poor visibility. They resumed at dawn the next day.
Hall Garth lived in the Corales 2 neighborhood of Limón and held American nationality. He is the stepson of national calypso singer Mike Joseph. Family members have asked boat owners to help scan the coast and nearby areas.
Rip currents, known locally as corrientes de resaca, create narrow channels of fast-moving water that flow from the beach out to sea. They form when waves push water onto the shore and it returns through gaps in sandbars or reefs. These currents can pull swimmers far out faster than most people can swim back.
They appear often at beaches on both coasts. Playa Bonita on the Caribbean side shows them regularly because of its curved shape. Similar conditions occur at popular Pacific beaches that draw tourists, including those near Uvita, Ojochal, Drake Bay and the Osa Peninsula.
Rip currents show up as darker strips of choppy water, areas where waves break less than on either side, or foam and debris that move straight seaward. The Costa Rica Tourism Board installed warning signs at 100 busy tourist beaches. Red flags mean stay out of the water. Yellow flags mean use extra caution. Most beaches lack lifeguards.
If a rip current catches you, stay calm. Do not swim straight to shore. Swim parallel to the beach until the pull ends, then head back to land at an angle. Float on your back and raise an arm to signal for help if you tire.
Ocean conditions change quickly with tides and waves. Visitors should check signs and flags before they enter the water and ask locals about conditions that day. The search for Hall Garth remains active. No updates confirm his location.
