On Saturday, July 29, a professional soccer player met a tragic end in the Cañas River, known for its crocodile population, when he decided to go for a swim.  

Jesus “Chucho” Lopez Ortiz, aged 29, from Santa Cruz, Costa Rica, took a leap into the river from a bridge, which was designated as a no-fishing zone due to the risk posed by crocodiles.

Subsequent footage showed a sizable crocodile carrying Ortiz through the river. 

Ortiz played for Deportivo Río Cañas, an amateur soccer club in Carrillo. The club confirmed his passing in an announcement on their Facebook page.

In the aftermath of the horrific scene, the Costa Rican Red Cross and local authorities had to retrieve Ortiz’s body from the reptile, which had to be neutralized. Crocodiles are considered protected animals in Costa Rica and it is usually prohibited to hunt or kill them.

Ortiz, who was a coach, player, and devoted family man, is survived by his two children, ages three and eight. His funeral in Santa Cruz Guanacaste witnessed a large turnout, with many community members attending to offer their condolences.

Costa Rica has seen similar incidents in the past. In 2022, a young boy named Julio Otero Fernandez, aged eight, was attacked by a crocodile in the Matina River in Limon.