Young man dies after being attacked by crocodile near resort at popular beach destination

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico - A young man died late last week after being pulled into the water by a crocodile near a resort in a popular beach destination.

Government officials said it happened at a beach adjacent to the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa Friday night.

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Authorities described the incident as a "highly regrettable, unusual and isolated incident," saying it required immediate and coordinated action by all three levels of government.

Local media outlets said a 28-year-old from Mexico City died in the attack, which happened near Marina Vallarta Beach. Officials said the man was pulled into the water by a crocodile before bystanders and emergency responders could reach him.

The Government of Jalisco said the man's body was found by members of the Mexican Navy on Saturday morning, and the crocodile was captured very close to the area where the incident happened.

Officials noted that the presence of the American crocodile in estuaries, canals and bodies of water along the coast is normal, and they're part of the coastal ecosystem of Puerto Vallarta.

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They said the crocodiles are being monitored, but with the rainy season starting in June, water levels are rising and moving, sometimes towards coastal areas and beaches.

"Risky interactions with people are rare and are addressed through an inter-institutional technical strategy articulated in the Human-Crocodile Working Group, made up of the three levels of government, academia, civil society organizations and the tourism sector," the government said in a press release translated from Spanish to English.

Government officials have since enforced surveillance on beaches, estuaries and areas of higher incidence.

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Authorities are advising visitors to respect signage, follow instructions by Civil Protection, avoid entering the water in areas with crocodiles or near estuaries and canals, particularly at dawn, dusk and during the night.

The last time a crocodile encounter happened was in 2022 when two Colorado tourists were bitten while visiting Puerto Vallarta. In 2021, an 18-year-old U.S. tourist survived a crocodile attack near the same area after swimming near the Marriott resort, according to local media.

Researchers recommend keeping children and pets away from water in crocodile-infested areas and avoiding swimming in murky or risky waters.

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FOX Weather has reached out to Marriott for a comment but has not yet heard back.

Anyone who sees a crocodile sighting is being asked to report it to the authorities.