At least 6 tourists died in Florida while there is still a serious risk of rip currents
At least six individuals lost their lives as a result of strong waves along Florida’s two coasts in the course of two days, and officials issued a warning that dangerous beach conditions would probably continue.
There have been fatalities recorded at Panama City Beach in the Florida Panhandle and along Hutchinson Island on Florida’s Treasure Coast.
Because of the unfavorable weather, which affected most of the Southeast and Gulf beaches with strong gusty winds and choppy surf, rip currents were considered a serious concern in both regions.
The majority of the beachgoers were from outside the state, which is typical of Sunshine State coastal drownings.
The Panama City Beach Fire Department reports that the first fatality occurred on Thursday afternoon when an Oklahoman adolescent entered the choppy Gulf of Mexico.
The man was pulled from the waves by lifeguards, who tried to save his life, but he eventually passed away from his wounds.
A Pennsylvania family was swept out into the Atlantic by a rip current on Hutchison Island in Martin County, some 300 miles distant.
The couple’s two children managed to return to land without assistance from rescuers, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, but their parents were discovered unconscious and sent to a nearby hospital.
The 48-year-old mother and the 51-year-old father were later declared dead, according to deputies.
And on Friday, a multi-agency search was launched in Bay County, near Panama City Beach, when a group of guys, ages 24 to 25, disappeared in the choppy surf.
The news that all of the victims had been found but had died from their wounds was released on Saturday by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
“I ask that you join me in praying for this family. Such a catastrophe exists. Tommy Ford, the Bay County Sheriff, said in a statement, “Last night, I saw so many people, including visitors to our community, come together on the beach to desperately search for them.”
Over 30 individuals were reported to have perished in the Sunshine State in 2023 as a result of rip currents, with the Panhandle accounting for over half of those deaths.
Ford published a widely shared diatribe last summer against visitors’ apparent lack of personal responsibility due to their excursions into waters that were deemed to be too turbulent, during a period of over a dozen deaths in two weeks along Panhandle beaches.
These unseen dangers arise when waves break close to the coast, piling up water to produce a narrow, swift-moving stream that quickly takes swimmers away from the coast, taking them by surprise.
Beachgoers are always advised by the National Weather Service to swim close to lifeguards and to stay aware of the conditions of the ocean.
It is recommended not to swim against the outgoing force of water if caught in a rip current. Rather, swim in a parallel manner to the coast until you are out of the current, and then return to land in a safe manner.
Given that an onshore flow is still present along many of the state’s coastal cities, it was anticipated that the risk of rip currents would stay high throughout the workweek.
Numerous beaches had red or yellow flags flying, alerting people to the dangerous surf conditions and strong currents.