German consul in Costa Rica died on excursion

The German consul in Costa Rica died during an excursion on Saturday, according to a leisure center. 53-year-old Mario Genz had an accident in the leisure center on the banks of the Río Cuarto lagoon in the province of Alajuela, around 75 kilometers north of the capital San José, as the management of the resort announced.

As the management further announced, the German diplomat got into trouble while swimming in the lagoon for reasons that were initially unclear. Local media had previously reported that Genz drowned after his kayak capsized.

The leisure center staff “acted immediately and rescued him from the water,” the statement continued. Red Cross employees and the fire department then tried in vain to revive him “over a long period of time.” Genz was “a certified diver” and a frequent visitor to the Río Cuarto Lagoon, where he regularly swam and dived. According to local media reports, attempts were made to revive Genz for half an hour.

The Foreign Ministry of the Central American country confirmed the news of the diplomat's death on the X online service and expressed its condolences. “We express our deepest condolences to his family and work colleagues and once again assure them of our support during these difficult times,” the post said.