What Happened
An American woman, identified as 61-year-old Tiffany Rau, drowned Monday at Las Lajas Beach in the district of San Félix in eastern Chiriquí province. The incident was reported shortly after 12:30 p.m. when National Police units patrolling the coastal area spotted a civilian providing first aid to a woman on the sand.
Rescue teams were contacted and paramedics from SUME 911 arrived with firefighters. Despite repeated resuscitation attempts by emergency personnel, the tourist was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said she had been in Panama as a tourist since the beginning of March with her 62-year-old husband.
Response and Ongoing Procedures
Units from the Tourist Police and the Public Ministry also arrived to carry out corresponding procedures, determine how the incident occurred, and proceed with removal of the body. The National Police first responders and the specialized medical teams attempted CPR, but the victim did not respond.
Background
Las Lajas is one of the most popular beaches in Chiriquí. The report noted that Las Lajas is generally known for gentler waves compared to Las Olas, another beach in the province where undertows and drowning incidents are more frequently reported. However, authorities highlighted that the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) had maintained a warning for strong waves on several coasts of the country, including the Gulf of Chiriquí, until the day before the incident.
What This Means
Local authorities reiterated the importance of following safety warnings in bathing areas and advised beachgoers to take precautions when seasonal or official alerts are in place. The arrival of Tourist Police and the Public Ministry indicates that investigators will document the circumstances of the drowning and complete required procedures.
The case underscores ongoing safety challenges at popular coastal sites during periods of elevated wave activity. No further details about the investigation or any additional contributing factors were released by authorities at the time of reporting.