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Four US tourists on a whitewater rafting trip and their Costa Rican guide were killed when the rafts they were using hit the Naranjo River on Saturday, officials said.
The American men, from Miami, Florida, were baptized Ernesto Sierra, Jorge Caso, Sergio Lorenzo and Andres Denis. The local guide has been identified as Kevin Thompson Reid.
According to Maricel Rodriguez, press officer of the Judicial Investigation Organization, there were a total of 14 tourists and four guides on the rafts, reported NBC News. One of the victims was the groom's brother.
The three rafts rocked at 15h on Saturday. The five victims had been transported downstream. Some survivors had hung on the rafts, while others had been rescued by a kayaking guide, reported the Associated Press.
The four American victims – aged 25 to 35 – rented a house in Playa Hermosa de Jaco and were there for the bachelor party of one of the survivors. The tourists arrived in Costa Rica on October 18th.
On Facebook, the local Red Cross said the incident occurred in Liverpool, Quepos: "12 Red Cross rescuers are working in the area where an accident occurred. 18 people who traveled on the rafts were affected. Right now, we are working instead. "
US authorities confirmed the deaths on Sunday. Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the State Department, said: "We are saddened by the announcement of a rafting accident at #CostaRica. We can confirm that 4 US citizens died as a result of the accident.
"We send our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones and extend our gratitude to the Government of Costa Rica for its support in dealing with this tragedy.
"@StateDept does not have a higher priority than the protection of US citizens abroad. Working with local authorities, we are ready to provide consular assistance to US citizens in the region. "
Sunday also, Carlos Alvarado, President of Costa Rica, wrote on Twitter"I express my deep dismay at the accident this afternoon on the Naranjo River in Quepos."
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