Italian Surfer Drowns in Costa Rica

A woman vacationing in Playa Brasilito, one of Costa Rica’s Gold Coast beaches located in the province of Guanacaste, lost her life in the surf this weekend. According to a report published by daily tabloid Diario Extra, the woman was an Italian tourist named Patricia Taburiny, who was 64 years of age. Unlike other, recent reports of tourist drownings in Costa Rica, heavy surf conditions were not observed.

According to a local resident interviewed by Diario Extra, Signora Taburiny was enjoying a vacation in Costa Rica along with her husband, Elton Vanelli. They were guests at the Buena Fuente Hotel in Bahia de los Piratas (Pirate’s Bay).

Red Cross rescuers and members of the Tourism Police who responded to the call indicated that Signora Taburiny entered the surf not long after having lunch, and thus they believe that stomach cramps brought on by oxygen deprivation may have precipitated the drowning. The body of the Italian tourist was collected by forensic agents from the Office of Judicial Investigations.