Doctor who pulled Malcolm-Jamal Warner out of ‘rough’ ocean speaks out after actor’s death

The medical professional who pulled Malcolm-Jamal Warner out of the “rough” Costa Rica ocean where the actor died on Sunday is speaking out about the harrowing scene.

The doctor, who asked not to be identified by name, told Us Weekly Thursday that he was “about 200 meters from the incident.”

Like Warner, he was on vacation, enjoying the day in the town of Playa Grande.

According to the doctor, there were “very few people on the beach” that day, which could have been because the “sea was rough.”

When he heard a group of people screaming and calling for help, he quickly “ran to the area and entered the sea with [his] surfboard, heading into the rip current toward the person being pointed at by some beachgoers.”

After a few minutes, the doctor said he “saw a shadow” and immediately “dove down and pulled the person out.”

When the doctor finally reached the beach with Warner, who had been “caught by a high current,” he saw another man lying on the sand, struggling to breathe.

“[He was] just someone who tried to help during the emergency without any rescue equipment,” the doctor explained, adding that “immediately, [first responders] began providing first aid to Malcolm, but he had no vital signs.”

The doctor said two tourists who identified themselves as doctors “ran over to help.” A few minutes later, Costa Rican Red Cross personnel arrived and used specialized equipment on the “Cosby Show” star, including a defibrillator, but he did not respond.

Warner was pronounced dead at the scene at the age of 54, while the other man was transported to the local medical clinic in critical condition. He has since been released.

“The people who take part in this kind of rescue are always deeply affected,” the doctor shared. “You have to understand it’s not easy, and it also takes time to heal.”

Initially, Elberth León, the head of the Tourist Police for Costa Rica’s Atlantic region, claimed Warner’s 8-year-old daughter was in the water with him and was successfully rescued.

However, the country’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) has since clarified that the girl was on the shore when her dad drowned.

Warner’s cause of death was ruled “asphyxiation by submersion.”

According to the Caribbean Guard, Costa Rica’s volunteer lifeguard association, lifeguards were not present at the time of Warner’s drowning, which happened “very fast,” because of a lack of governmental resources in the area.

The association also referred to Playa Grande as “one of [the country’s] most challenging beaches.”