A California couple vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, described their harrowing experience attempting to save a 28-year-old man from a fatal crocodile attack. The incident occurred Friday evening near the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa.
Jamie Yetter, her fiancé Chris Bury, and Yetter's daughter were by the resort pool when they heard screams coming from the beach. Initially believing the sounds were from someone caught in a rip current, Bury rushed to the water, followed by Yetter. Bury attempted to throw a life preserver to the victim, identified as Irving, but he was unable to reach it.
Another beachgoer arrived with a kayak, and Bury paddled out without oars in an effort to pull the man to safety. "We were just scrambling, trying to do what we could," Bury told NBC4. "I was on the kayak right when he got pulled under."
Yetter described the crocodile as massive, with a head as long as her torso. "He was just turning him, taking him under," she told ABC7, recounting how the reptile clamped down on Irving's thigh.
Despite their efforts, the man was killed by the crocodile. His body was recovered approximately 12 hours later on Saturday morning. The attack occurred around 6:30 p.m. near the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa.
Yetter stated that resort staff did not warn guests about the dangers of the water. While she noticed signs warning of jellyfish and stingrays, she did not see an additional symbol indicating crocodiles, which her family initially mistook for an iguana. She added that there were no no-swimming signs posted, and the beach remained open the following morning.
The suspected crocodile was captured by police. The area has seen similar incidents, including one in 2022 that injured two tourists in Jalisco. The Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa has not issued a statement regarding the attack.