Four American tourists on a white water rafting bachelor party excursion and their Costa Rican guide were killed when the rafts they were using flipped over on the Naranjo River on Saturday, officials have confirmed.
The U.S. men, who were from Miami, Florida, were named as Ernesto Sierra, Jorge Caso, Sergio Lorenzo and Andres Denis. The local guide was identified as Kevin Thompson Reid.
There were a total of 14 tourists and four guides on the rafts, according to Maricel Rodriguez, press secretary for the Organization of Judicial Investigations, NBC News reported. One of the victims was the brother of the groom.
The three rafts flipped over at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The five victims had been carried downstream. Some survivors had clung to the rafts, while others were rescued by a guide in a kayak, the Associated Press reported.
The four U.S. victims—who were aged between 25 and 35—were renting a house in Playa Hermosa de Jaco and were there for a bachelor party of one of the survivors. The tourists reportedly arrived in Costa Rica on October 18.
On Facebook, the local Red Cross said the incident had occurred in Liverpool, Quepos: "12 Red Cross rescuers work in the area where an accident occurred. 18 people who traveled on the rafts were affected. At this time, we are in the place working."
Government authorities in America confirmed the deaths on Sunday. Heather Nauert, state department spokesperson, said: "We are saddened by news of rafting accident in #CostaRica. We can confirm 4 U.S. citizens died as a result of the accident.
"We extend our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones, and extend our gratitude to Government of Costa Rica for their support in this tragedy.
"@StateDept has no higher priority than the protection of U.S. citizens overseas. Working with local authorities, we stand ready to provide consular assistance to U.S. citizens in the area."
We are saddened by news of rafting accident in #CostaRica. We can confirm 4 U.S. citizens died as a result of the accident. We extend our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones, and extend our gratitude to Government of Costa Rica for their support in this tragedy.
— Morgan Ortagus (@statedeptspox) October 21, 2018
Also on Sunday, Carlos Alvarado, Costa Rica's president, wrote on Twitter: "I express my deep dismay at the accident that occurred this afternoon on the Naranjo River in Quepos."
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