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. They were caught in a rip current and unfortunately lost their lives.
According to Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, three distressed swimmers were reported off the coast of Panama City Beach on Friday shortly after 8 p.m. The swimmers, all in their 20s, were in the water at the time.
According to the sheriff’s office Facebook post, one of the swimmers was rescued from the Gulf of Mexico after the first call for help. Medical attention was provided to the rescued swimmer, while the search continued for the remaining two swimmers in the Watercress Condominiums area, where they were reported to be struggling.
The Bay County Sheriff’s office teamed up with the county’s air unit, along with the US Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to locate the swimmers. In addition, other visitors to the area pitched in to help with the search efforts, as reported by the sheriff’s office.
The swimmers were discovered and taken to hospitals where they were later declared deceased.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Ford expressed deep sorrow over the loss of all three young men who entered the water and became distressed, confirming that they had passed away.
The sheriff expressed his condolences for the tragic deaths and called for prayers for the families of the victims on Saturday.
According to a statement from Ford, the Sheriff’s Office, Bay County Emergency Services, and Panama City Beach, rescue swimmers bravely risked their lives for over two hours in the treacherous waters, in an attempt to rescue and search for the young men.
According to the sheriff, Harold Denzel Hunter, aged 25, along with Jemonda Ray and Marius Richardson, both aged 24, were identified as the victims hailing from Birmingham, Alabama.
On Friday evening, they reached Panama City Beach, a well-known tourist spot that attracts approximately 4.5 million visitors every year, along with their friends.
According to Ford, as soon as they arrived at their rental, they wasted no time and hurried to the water.
Last week, two people lost their lives while visiting Florida beaches due to rip currents. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office reported that on Thursday, a couple from Pennsylvania drowned after being swept away by a rip current while visiting the beach off South Florida’s Hutchinson Island.
According to CNN affiliate WPEC, Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48, were vacationing in Florida with their family of eight when the tragic accident took place. The sheriff’s office confirmed that these two individuals were among the victims.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, rip currents are powerful and narrow water flows that typically span less than 80 feet. These currents move away from the shoreline, usually at an acute or perpendicular angle, and head towards the ocean.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Ocean Service, the currents can reach speeds of up to 8 feet per second, which is faster than an Olympic swimmer.
Swimmers can find themselves in grave danger if they get caught in the strength and movement of rip currents. These currents are responsible for the deaths of approximately 100 people in the United States every year, as reported by the Ocean Service.
According to experts, the best way to escape a rip current is to swim parallel to the shore instead of toward it.
If a swimmer encounters a rip current, it’s important to remain calm and focused. To stay afloat, maintain steady breathing and avoid becoming too exhausted by attempting to fight against the current. Additionally, try to keep your head above water to prevent swallowing water and maintain visibility.
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