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According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, three men from Alabama who were visiting northwest Florida had a tragic experience during their nighttime beach swim over the weekend. The men became trapped in a rip current and unfortunately lost their lives.
According to Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, on Friday, a report was received by the sheriff’s office stating that three distressed swimmers were spotted off the coast of Panama City Beach. The men, all in their 20s, were swimming at the time. The incident took place at around 8 p.m.
According to the sheriff’s office Facebook post, following the initial call, one of the swimmers was rescued from the Gulf of Mexico and received medical attention. However, the search continued for the other two swimmers in the vicinity of Watercress Condominiums where they were reported to be in distress.
The Bay County Emergency Services, US Coast Guard, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission collaborated with the sheriff’s office air unit to find the missing swimmers. The sheriff acknowledged the efforts of other beachgoers who assisted in the search for the men.
The swimmers were discovered and taken to hospitals where they were declared dead.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Ford expressed deep sorrow as he announced the tragic news that all three young men who were in the water and experienced distress have passed away.
The sheriff expressed deep sympathy for the victims’ families and referred to the deaths as an immense tragedy. He also requested everyone to keep the victims’ relatives in their prayers.
In a statement, Ford expressed his gratitude towards the rescue swimmers from the Sheriff’s Office, Bay County Emergency Services, and Panama City Beach who put their lives on the line for over two hours to search and rescue the young men in the perilous and murky waters.
According to the sheriff, the individuals who lost their lives in the tragic incident were Harold Denzel Hunter, aged 25, along with Jemonda Ray and Marius Richardson, both aged 24, all hailing from Birmingham, Alabama.
On Friday evening, they reached Panama City Beach along with a bunch of friends. Panama City Beach is a famous tourist spot that attracts approximately 4.5 million visitors every year.
According to Ford, as soon as they arrived at their rental, they wasted no time and immediately headed out to the water.
Last week, two individuals lost their lives due to rip currents while visiting Florida beaches. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office reported that a couple from Pennsylvania drowned after being swept away by a rip current while visiting the beach off South Florida’s Hutchinson Island on Thursday.
According to WPEC, Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48, were enjoying a family vacation in Florida when the tragic accident took place. The two were among a group of eight individuals on vacation when the incident occurred, as reported by the sheriff’s office to CNN affiliate WPEC.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), rip currents are concentrated, swift-moving channels of water that typically span less than 80 feet in width. These currents flow away from the shore and into the ocean at an acute or perpendicular angle.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Ocean Service, the strong currents have the ability to move at speeds of up to 8 feet per second, which is faster than an Olympic swimmer.
Swimmers are at risk of being caught in the strength and movement of rip currents, which can quickly sweep them away and pose a serious safety threat. These dangerous currents are responsible for the deaths of approximately 100 people in the United States each year, according to the Ocean Service.
According to experts, the most effective way to escape a rip current is to swim parallel to the shore, rather than towards it.
If you encounter a rip current while swimming, it’s crucial to stay calm, maintain steady breathing, and focus on keeping your head above water. It’s important not to exhaust yourself by attempting to fight against the powerful force of the rip current.
This report was contributed to by Mallika Kallingal from CNN.