MIAMI, FL — Tragedy struck four Miami men killed during a rafting trip to Costa Rica. One survivor described the ordeal as a weekend to remember that turned into a living nightmare.
“We’ve all been friends for many years and we knew we wanted to do something special for our friend before his wedding,” penned Anthony Castro on a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses of the four. “We planned a few activities, one of them being a white water rafting tour on the Saturday of our trip.”
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Castro identified his friends that were killed as Ernesto Sierra, Andres Denis, Jorge Caso and Sergio Lorenzo.
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U.S. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert confirmed the deaths and said officials stood ready to provide consular assistance to U.S. Citizens affected by the tragedy.
“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,” Nauert said.
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The 14-member group split up into three different rafts, according to Castro, who was on one of the rafts.
“When we first arrived, it was windy and raining, and the professional tour guides advised that we wait a bit before going out on the water,” he recalled.
The group waited less than an hour before they were given the OK to head out.
“Within five minutes of being out on the river, all three rafts capsized, and everyone ended up in the water,” he said.
It became a fight for survival.
“Everyone struggled to get back on the rafts, with some efforts being successful, but ultimately the rafts continued to capsize due to the immense current,” Castro said. “Within minutes, all of us were careening down the river with life jackets and helmets just trying to stabilize and find something to hold on to.”
They were choking on the river water.
“Throughout the dangerous ride down the river, all of us struggled to stay above water, swallowing lots of it on the way down as our bodies ricocheted against the rocks in the water while struggling to survive,” said Castro. “Most of us were ultimately able to grab hold of rocks or barriers in or around the water and await the rescue teams to get to us.”
Unfortunately, the four could not escape the grip of the current and drowned.
“Luis, the man we hoped to celebrate all weekend, lost a brother and we all lost four great friends during this vacation which went horribly wrong,” Castro added.
Photo courtesy GoFundMe, which is a partner of Patch. Click here to donate.