TV star Malcolm-Jamal Warner was swimming with his eight-year-old daughter when he drowned in Costa Rica at the weekend, it’s been revealed.

The Cosby Show star died at the age of 54 on Sunday (local time) while on holiday.

On Wednesday, it emerged that he was in the water with his daughter – whose name has not been made public – when the incident occurred.

Police have told the US’s ABC News that surfers tried to save Warner and his daughter after the pair were spotted struggling against the current.

A surfer was able to save the Suits star’s daughter by returning her to safety on his board. Warner was pulled back to shore by a volunteer lifeguard and another surfer.

The actor – best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show – was given 45 minutes of CPR but was pronounced dead at the scene.

“We deeply regret the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, in Playa Grande. He was swept away by a strong hangover current and died by drowning. It was all very fast and even though there were people on the beach who came in to rescue him, they didn’t arrive in time He was pulled underwater with no vital signs and despite having been provided with CPR manoeuvres on the beach, his resuscitation was unsuccessful,” a Facebook post from the Carribean Guard.

“Playa Grande is one of our most challenging beaches. It’s a beach known by local surfers and there are signs (in English and Spanish) that warn of the danger of death by drowning. It’s a beach that the Caribbean Guard has patrolled for the last few years. [Not] this Sunday though.

“Due to the recent water incidents on Playa black, we have allocated resources there and on Chiquita, another beach, for its currents.”

The post also appealed to Costa Rica’s national and regional governments for “strong support” to further efforts to minimise drownings, which it said were rising all over the country.