A huge crocodile killed a man at a popular resort in Mexico.

On June 26, a massive crocodile attacked and killed a man in the Mexican resort town of Puerto Vallarta. The victim, 28-year-old Irving Mauricio from Mexico City, was found dead. Following the attack, photos of the aggressive crocodile, approximately 3,5 meters long, began circulating online, according to New York Post.

Mauricio was fatally attacked on a popular beach in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta on the evening of June 26. According to witnesses and authorities, a family from San Clemente tried to come to his aid at that moment. The attack occurred at approximately 18:30 PM on Marina Vallarta Beach, next to the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa. Local authorities discovered Mauricio's body approximately 12 hours later, in the early morning of June 27.

The victim's mother, Claudia Mauricio, posted a message online filled with profound grief. She wrote: "You broke my heart, my beautiful boy. Give me the strength to move on. Forgive me for not being able to take care of you the way I wanted. Forgive me, my son."

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Mauricio is survived by his father Ross and brother Alexis, and his grief-stricken mother.

"If I've ever let you down, I ask you with all my heart to forgive me. I will never stop loving you," she wrote, addressing her late son. "If you loved me so much, know that I love you a thousand times more, my little Irving Mauricio."

At the end of the letter, the mother expressed her wish to one day meet her son again: "I ask God for only one thing: that on the day I leave this world, I can find you again and that you greet me with that beautiful smile you used to greet me with. You will remain forever in my heart."

Mauricio's mangled remains were discovered after a crocodile allegedly dragged him into the water near a bar across from the Marriott Hotel in Puerto Vallarta's northern hotel zone. A search continued overnight, involving land, sea, and air resources, culminating in the discovery of his body around 7 a.m. on Saturday, June 27.

The man's battered body was found in a canal approximately 500 meters from the shore, near Bocanegra Beach, approximately 2,5 kilometers south of the hotel where the incident occurred. It remains unclear how and why Mauricio ended up in the water.

Puerto Vallarta Civil Protection and Fire Service Director Misael Lopez Muro told local reporters that an investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy was underway.

"All necessary procedures are currently being carried out. Family members have already arrived, and we are in contact with them," Muro said.

A crocodile approximately 3,7 meters long was captured during a search and rescue operation in the area. The animal has been isolated, and a forensic examination is underway to determine whether it is connected to the attack on the young man.

Photos posted online captured the moment the predator was captured. The images show five men wrestling with the large crocodile on a lawn near a hotel, pinning it to the ground and holding its mouth shut. A nighttime video also surfaced online showing the crocodile with its mouth open near the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa immediately after the fatal attack.

San Clemente tourist Jamie Yetter, her fiancé Chris Bury, and their teenage daughter were at the hotel at the time. They were relaxing by the pool when they heard screams from the beach.

"We thought it was a person caught in a rip current, so Chris ran toward the water and I immediately ran after him," Yetter explained in an interview with NBC Los Angeles.

Authorities note that crocodile attacks are more common during the summer rainy season in the state of Jalisco. During this period, the reptiles become more active in rivers and coastal areas of tourist areas, including Puerto Vallarta, increasing the risk of encounters with swimmers and tourists.

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Muro stated that local residents and visitors are required to heed warning signs and avoid entering bodies of water where these animals have been spotted, especially in unobserved areas. He also emphasized that crocodile attacks remain a constant threat, which authorities are trying to contain through patrols and prevention programs.

"Fortunately, the body has been found, the animal has been captured, and the necessary procedures are already underway," Muro concluded. "We want to assure the public that we continue to do our job and regret what happened."

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