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Body of missing USF grad found in Costa Rica

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Aly Zain Lakdawala was on a mission trip to teach English, volunteer at an orphanage and save sea turtle nests.

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 19, 2009

Updated: 05/19/2009 04:00 pm

TAMPA - The body of Aly Zain Lakdawala was found late last night near a Costa Rican beach not far from where the recent University of South Florida graduate was swept out to sea by a riptide Saturday.

"This is terribly saddening news," said Stacey Bruton, a close friend. "He was such a good person. He will be missed more than words can describe. There are a lot of heart-broken friends today.

The confirmation came from the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica and Lakdawala's father, who identified the body, USF spokesman Michael Hoad said this afternoon. The man's family flew to the Central American country over the weekend to be near the search, which included vessels and aircraft.

The Costa Rican Ministry of Public Security issued a statement in Spanish today saying that, "Officials from the national coast guard service have located the body of a man floating a nautical mile from the coast in Savegre."

The body was found a few minutes after 10 p.m., the statement said.

Lakdawala, 21, was in Costa Rica as part of a spring break project doing volunteer work for a university-sponsored program. He and three others went swimming Saturday in the Pacific Ocean near Playa Matapalo in southwest Costa Rica and got caught in a strong riptide, officials said. Three of the four made it to shore.

On Monday night, 13 fellow students who were part of the USF Leadership and Civic Engagement program, returned to Tampa. They met with their parents and grief counselors at Tampa International Airport.

USF has scheduled a 4 p.m. news conference to address Lakdawala's death.

"The University of South Florida is mourning the loss of recent graduate Aly Zain Lakdawala, 21," said a posting on the university's Web site. The school sponsored program was supervised by university staff. Maria Crummett, dean of international affairs, and other staff members flew to Costa Rica over the weekend to help support Lakdawala's family.

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