A 52-year old male tourist from the United States lost his life while vacationing in Costa Rica. According to a news report aired by national television network Teletica Channel 7, the lifeless body of Gary Douglas White was located by officers from the National Coast Guard Service of Costa Rica who responded to an emergency call over the weekend.

According to Teletica, the Coast Guard received an emergency notification about the disappearance of a tourist who was swimming in the stretch of ocean between the tip of Playa Flamingo and the pristine Isla Plata (Silver Island), province of Guanacaste. Isla Plata is situated right in between Brasilito and Potrero Bays, just a kayak trip away from the tip of the peninsula that juts out from Playa Flamingo, where the upscale Flamingo Marina Resort and the Flamingo Beach Resort and Spa are located.

The call received by the Coast Guard explained that the dearly departed Mr. White had been swimming in the ocean near Isla Plata until he could no longer be seen from shore. The Coast Guard launched a search and rescue operation around the island and on both sides of the peninsula; regrettably, Mr. White had already passed when he was finally located.

Speaking to Teletica, a spokesperson from the Coast Guard issued a reminder to people in Costa Rica who are planning on visiting the Gold Coast beaches of Guanacaste, as well as other vacation hotspots in the Pacific coast, when the mid-year school break begins in a couple of weeks: oceanic conditions have been particularly treacherous in the last couple of years, and they have claimed the lives of various tourists in recent months. To this effect, the Coast Guard recommends being extra cautious and mindful of rip currents when spending time at the beach.