Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Sept. 1, 2026 — Municipal rescuers recovered the body Monday of a 28-year-old Monterrey tourist reported missing after an apparent fall from a catamaran at Puerto Vallarta’s maritime terminal.
Local reports identified the man as Fernando and said he was visiting from Monterrey, Nuevo León. He disappeared Sunday, Aug. 30, after a Banderas Bay excursion aboard the Naviero 1.
Municipal information cited in follow-up coverage placed the discovery shortly before 4 p.m. Monday. Rescuers located the body near the area where Fernando was last seen.
Our review of five local reports found consistent details about the victim’s age, origin, vessel and the agencies involved. Reports differed on his surname’s spelling and the precise pier designation, so PVDN is identifying him by his first name.
Reported fall occurred during disembarkation
The available accounts place the incident at the end of the excursion, while passengers were leaving the vessel at the ASIPONA maritime terminal.
A witness account gathered during the search said the catamaran had reached the dock but was not fully aligned with the structure. The witness said Fernando appeared to misstep and fall into the space between the vessel and pier.
Four people aboard the catamaran entered the water in an attempt to find him, according to the witness. They were unable to locate him.
The same witness said passengers had worn life jackets during an earlier activity. Fernando was reportedly not wearing one while disembarking. PVDN could not independently verify the witness’s account.
No official finding has established what caused the fall. The available reports also do not assign responsibility to the vessel’s crew, tour operator or terminal.
Search continued through the night
Municipal lifeguards and aquatic-rescue personnel began searching the water after receiving the emergency call. The Mexican Navy later joined the operation.
A detailed emergency-response account said the vessel’s captain reported seeing Fernando return to the surface once before disappearing beneath the water.
Municipal personnel conducted an initial dive. Navy personnel later used a drone and completed another underwater search, the account said.
Underwater work ended at about 8:20 p.m. Sunday, while a Navy vessel continued surface patrols through the night. The search resumed Monday and ended when aquatic-rescue personnel located the body that afternoon.
The operation drew personnel and equipment from Puerto Vallarta’s Protection Civil and Fire Department and the Mexican Navy for roughly 24 hours.
Incident centered on a major tour departure point
The reported fall occurred at the passenger-transfer stage, rather than during the catamaran’s route across Banderas Bay.
Puerto Vallarta’s maritime terminal is on Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio at kilometer 4.5 in the Zona Hotelera Norte. Bay-tour passengers enter through Gate 9 on Heroica Escuela Naval Militar, near Hospital San Javier Marina.
An official terminal guide, last updated in 2023, lists 25 tourist vessels operating daily bay excursions from the facility. Listed routes include Los Arcos, Las Ánimas, Quimixto, the Marietas Islands, Caletas and Majahuitas.
After the recovery, authorities notified the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Fiscalía personnel and forensic specialists were requested to handle the legal examination and transfer of the body, according to the recovery report.
