Tourist Dies in Harrowing Puerto Escondido as Big Wave Season Ignites

Tragedy occurred at Puerto Escondido on Thursday, per multiple reports.

A 29-year-old tourist from Colorado drowned, while struggling in the notoriously heavy beachbreak waves at the “Mexican Pipeline” during a season-opener south swell.

See reports from the local Oaxacan community below:

The Instagram account, dedicated to Puerto Escondido, captioned the footage of the rescue along with a crowd swarming the body on the beach as such:

“This afternoon a male foreigner loses his life on Zicatela beach Puerto Escondido despite the effort made by the heroic lifeguard. Tourist friend extreme precautions we are in the offshore season (big waves) so we ask you to pay attention to the indications of lifeguards.”

Elsewhere, local news provided more information:

“Despite paramedics' attempts at cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the young man could not be saved. An examination of the body revealed a severe injury to the back of his neck. It is presumed that the impact of the waves caused him to break his neck and die instantly.”

North and Central America have seen the first south swell of the season, bringing waves all the way from Costa Rica to all across California. And while, for many, the swell was greeted with a warm embrace after a sleepy winter continuing into spring, it brought danger, too.

Recently, the Puerto Escondido suffered another tragedy. A fire broke out in early march, burning nearly all of the palapas, occupied by local businesses to the ground.

The community rallied together to raise money, clean up, and rebuild following the inferno.

“Not a single palapa (a type of open-sided shelter with a thatched roof) was left intact, it took everything,” said Mayor Román Valencia. “A total loss.”

More to come – hopefully less of the tragic variety – from the Mexican Pipeline.