Condition of 2nd Person in Malcolm-Jamal Warner Drowning Accident Revealed

The second man involved in the drowning accident that killed Malcolm-Jamal Warner is stable and out of the hospital, Us Weekly has learned.

Elberth León, head of the Tourist Police for Costa Rica’s Atlantic, told Us the patient was discharged, adding, “He was just very tired due to the struggle with the current.”

According to Hone Creek Clinic, the male patient “showed signs of respiratory distress after ingesting water, apparently while attempting to rescue a girl from the sea. He was rescued by [someone who had also jumped into the water to help] and transported by the Red Cross.”

The clinic told Us in a statement the man was “treated, found to be stable, and discharged without complications.”

Warner died on July 20 in an accidental drowning while on vacation in Costa Rica. He was 54.

León further confirmed to Us that Warner was attempting to save his daughter when the incident occurred: “Both were dragged by the current,” León said. “They were bathing together and were caught by a rip current. Obviously, as a father, he fought for his daughter, but the current in that area is very strong and they couldn’t accomplish the objective.”

According to Costa Rican National Police, the actor drowned off the coast of Costa Rica after being caught by a high current in the water. After an autopsy, the Costa Rican Judicial Investigation Agency confirmed Warner’s cause of death was “asphyxia due to submersion” and ruled it accidental.

After news broke of Warner’s death, Us exclusively reported on July 21 that a second individual involved in the incident was in critical condition.

Us confirmed that the Costa Rican Red Cross was alerted about a water-related case at Playa Grande, Cahuita, Limón, via the 9-1-1 emergency system, and three ambulances were sent. A spokesperson for the organization told Us that emergency personnel attended to two adult male patients.

In addition to Warner, who was declared dead at the scene after CPR was performed, paramedics treated an unidentified man and transported him in critical condition to a local clinic. The spokesperson confirmed that Warner and the second person were “involved in the same incident.”

Mike Geist, a lifeguard instructor and vice president of the volunteer lifeguard group Caribbean Guard, exclusively told Us on July 22 that good Samaritans — a doctor and boogie boarder — entered the water to search for Warner.

The doctor “saw a group of people alarmed, so he took his board and got ready to approach the place where the people were,” added volunteer lifeguard Sofia Cordoba. “He realized that there were many people who were trying to help who were rather putting themselves at risk because no one had a floating element.”

The doctor eventually found Warner submerged in the water and unconscious. Ambulances arrived “quickly” and continued CPR, but their “resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful” on Warner.