Malcolm Jamal-Warner Drowning Death: Second Swimmer Survived Ordeal

First responders in Costa Rica managed to revive a second swimmer in distress on Sunday using CPR, but were unable to save the life of The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

A statement from the Red Cross in the Latin American country says first responders received word on Sunday at 2:10 p.m. that two male swimmers required emergency treatment due to a “water-related incident” at Playa Grande, Cahuita, Limon.

Three ambulances immediately rushed to the oceanside beach and emergency personnel attended to two adult male patients. Paramedics using CPR managed to revive one of the swimmers, who was transported in “critical condition” to a local clinic in Limon, according to the Red Cross.

But CPR performed on a second swimmer, who turned out to be Warner, did not succeed and “he was unfortunately declared deceased at the scene,” the statement said.

The first responders then turned the scene over to Costa Rican police authorities “for the appropriate legal procedures.” The late Emmy-nominated actor and director, who played Theo Huxtable on the long-running Bill Cosby comedy, has received a slew of tributes from the entertainment industry following news of his accidental drowning.

High-profile figures that have remembered Warner include Questlove, Tracee Ellis Ross, Magic Johnson, Jamie Foxx, Taraji P. Henson, Ben Crump, Atlanta Senator Raphael Warnock and musician Maxwell.

Costa Rican National Police earlier declared Warner died from asphyxia after getting caught by a strong ocean current just off a beach in Limon. His body was formally identified by the authorities.