Crocodile kills tourist at Puerto Vallarta beach

On the evening of June 26, 2026, a 28‑year‑old Mexican tourist was attacked and dragged into the sea by a large crocodile at Marina Vallarta Beach, directly in front of the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa. The victim, identified by authorities as Irving Mauricio of Mexico City, was seen struggling before the reptile seized his leg and repeatedly pulled him under the water.

A Californian couple, Jamie Yetter and her fiancé Chris Bury, witnessed the incident from their hotel pool. They first thought the man was caught in a rip current, then threw a life ring and attempted a rescue using a kayak that had no paddles. Bury recounted, “We were scrambling, trying to do what we could… I was on the kayak right when he got pulled under.” Their efforts were unsuccessful and the man’s body was recovered the next morning about 300 metres offshore.

Local officials captured a 3.6‑metre crocodile nearby and reiterated that warning signs were posted on the beach. The attack follows two prior crocodile incidents in the Jalisco region in 2022. Authorities stressed that such attacks are rare and urged tourists to heed signage and avoid swimming near mangroves and river mouths during the rainy season.