Rip Current · Puerto Rico

A rip current incident occurred at Puerto Nuevo Beach in Vega Baja during the morning of February 19, 2026. Four individuals entered the water and were swept toward deeper waters by a strong rip current. Three individuals returned safely to shore, while one was carried offshore. Search efforts continued for more than a week; however, the individual was not recovered and was classified as missing and presumed dead. This fatality was attributed to hazardous marine conditions associated with a long-period northerly swell.

A long-period northerly swell impacted the Atlantic waters and northern coastal areas of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands from February 18 through February 20, 2026. The swell propagated across the regional waters, producing increasing wave heights and hazardous marine conditions.

Breaking waves initially ranged from 6 to 8 feet and increased to between 10 and 12 feet as the event intensified. These conditions generated high surf and life-threatening rip currents along north- to northeast-facing beaches, including Puerto Rico, Culebra, and the northern U.S. Virgin Islands.

The most hazardous conditions occurred from February 19 to 20, when the combination of long-period swell and elevated wave energy led to dangerous coastal conditions. Impacts gradually diminished after February 20 as the swell subsided.