Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Sept. 26, 2026 — A 29-year-old tourist was rescued from rough surf at Conchas Chinas on Saturday after he struggled to return to shore, according to municipal emergency reports.
A lifeguard entered the water first and stayed with the man until a firefighter reached them aboard a personal watercraft. Both were brought back to shore.
The tourist, who authorities said was visiting from the State of Mexico, showed signs of fatigue but did not require transport to a hospital.
Red flags were in effect across Puerto Vallarta
The rescue came on a day when Puerto Vallarta Civil Protection and Firefighters maintained red flags across the municipality’s beaches because of elevated surf.
For residents and visitors, the restriction means avoiding entry into the ocean while the red flags remain posted. Municipal authorities also asked beachgoers to follow instructions from lifeguards stationed along the coast. The Saturday red-flag warning applied citywide.
That marks a change from Friday, when conditions varied by beach. Conchas Chinas was already among the locations placed under a red flag Friday, while Palmares, Los Muertos, Burros and Holly remained under yellow warnings in the municipal beach report.
PVDN’s Puerto Vallarta Civil Protection guide explains that local beach flags are intended to give swimmers a quick warning about changing surf, currents and other hazards. Saturday’s municipal instruction went further by telling the public to remain out of the sea.
How the Conchas Chinas rescue unfolded
The emergency was reported at about 11:10 a.m. in Conchas Chinas, along Puerto Vallarta’s southern coastal corridor.
The initial report said personnel conducting surveillance near Federal Highway 200 and Palmares received the radio alert. The swimmer was reported near Calle Easy in the Conchas Chinas area.
By the time additional rescuers arrived, a lifeguard was already in the water assisting the tourist. A firefighter then approached aboard the rescue watercraft and took both men back to shore.
PVDN reviewed multiple same-day accounts of the incident. They match on the approximate 11:10 a.m. alert, the lifeguard entering first, the personal-watercraft extraction, and the lack of a hospital transfer.
The accounts also identify the swimmer as a 29-year-old vacationer from the State of Mexico. Authorities reported fatigue after the rescue but no serious injury.
A second rescue followed at Los Tules
The Conchas Chinas incident was not the only water rescue reported Saturday.
Municipal Civil Protection later reported another man had difficulty getting out of the ocean near Los Tules. Lifeguards brought him to safety as elevated surf continued along Puerto Vallarta’s coastline. That later rescue report said officials again cited the red-flag conditions and instructed beachgoers to stay out of the water.
Local authorities have linked the rough coastal conditions to the continuing effects of Hurricane Polo offshore. Although the hurricane’s center had moved away from mainland Jalisco, elevated seas remained a concern along the coast Saturday.
Civil Protection’s instruction for Puerto Vallarta remains to respect the red flags, avoid entering the ocean, and follow directions from lifeguards until beach conditions improve.
