(TheRedAlertNews.com) – The deadliest beach in the United States – Panama City Beach in Florida – has claimed three more lives for a total of seven fatalities in just nine days.
Three people died swimming at Panama City Beach, on the Gulf of Mexico, last Saturday due to dangerous ocean conditions, The US Sun reports citing USA Today.
Data from the National Weather Service shows that Panama City Beach has had the highest number of fatalities of all beaches in the US for 2023.
According to the report, it remains unknown if the three new victims drowned or suffered medical emergencies while swimming – so the city classified their deaths as “fatal water incidents.”
However, it is known that the three individuals died after struggling with rip currents. The three people, who were all tourists, perished at three different beach resorts.
In two cases, double red flags warned surfers and swimmers of danger in the water and that the Gulf was closed. Those who ignore the red flags risk a $500 fine.
“The conditions at the time were severe, with double red flags indicating extreme water hazards,” said the Panama City Beach Police Department and Beach Safety, “imploring” the public to abide by the red flags.
“Double red-flag conditions have existed on the beach for the last week. Double red flags mean you are not allowed in the Gulf,” the police added.
The first swimmer’s death last Saturday occurred around noon. The victim was 39-year-old Kimberly Moore of Lithonia, Georgia.
About an hour later, 63-year-old Morytt Burden of Lithia Springs, Georgia, also died at Panama City Beach near a resort.
The third victim that day was a tourist named Donald Wixon, 68, of Canton, Michigan, who died at the beach at 4:20 pm.
In the past ten days, Panama City Beach saw 70 reports of distressed swimmers; some 40 of those were reported on Saturday.
Also, another swimmer died on Saturday at Miramar Beach, the second death there this year.
A few days earlier, a person died at Blue Mountain Beach under similar weather conditions last Thursday.
