Divers discover body of German volunteer in Quepos

September 8^th, 2015 (ICR News) Rescue divers discovered the body of 18-year-old Jonas Beger* (see editor’s note following this story) on Monday morning.

Beger had been missing since Sunday afternoon after apparently jumping into a 9-meter (about 30 feet) deep lagoon that forms part of the Savegre River in the area of Portalon, Quepos.  According to a police lieutenant that spoke to Diario Extra, Beger did not know how to swim and had actually been rescued by the Coast Guard just hours before fatally drowning at the lagoon, in a separate incident, after he entered the water at Playa Matapolo.

Apparently, according to the lieutenant, despite needing to be rescued by the Coast Guard just hours earlier, and not knowing how to swim, Beger then decided to travel to the Savegre River area with eight of his companions and jump into the lagoon, where he drowned.

Beger was reportedly a volunteer working to protect sea turtle nesting grounds.  He was scheduled to return to Germany this week.

Beger’s death is the 87^th fatal drowning in the country so far this year.

*Editor’s note: Various authorities have also identified the man as Beger Jonas Maximilian, and previously by the last name Borges.