MULTIPLE tourists have recently died at a US beach that’s the deadliest in the nation.
Three more people died swimming in the Gulf of Mexico at Florida’s Panama City Beach on Saturday, pushing its death toll to seven fatalities along the coast of Bay County within only nine days.
Authorities responded to three fatal water incidents behind three different resorts during dangerous ocean conditions on Saturday, USA Today reported.
The city classifies the beach deaths as fatal water incidents because whether the victims drowned or had medical emergencies in the water is currently unknown.
Panama City Beach has the highest number of beach fatalities of any single locale in the nation for 2023, according to data tracked by the National Weather Service.Â
The victims on Saturday were tourists who died after tussling with rip currents.
In every instance but one, double red flags were reportedly flying, warning beachgoers of the danger in the water.
The double red flags signified to swimmers and surfers that the gulf was closed, according to USA Today.
Those who take the risk of staying in the water after the flags are posted risk being penalized with a $500 fine.
“The conditions at the time were severe, with double red flags indicating extreme water hazards,” a news release said.
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“The Panama City Beach Police Department and Beach Safety implore the public to always heed the double red flag warnings and always be aware of the dangers that can accompany these conditions.”
Over the past 10 days, there were reports of 70 distressed swimmers and about 40 of them were reported on Saturday.
“Double red-flag conditions have existed on the beach for the last week,” the release states.
“Double red flags mean you are not allowed in the Gulf.”
Not even an hour away, in a county northwest of Panama City Beach, a person died on Thursday during similar conditions at Blue Mountain Beach.
Another swimmer died on Saturday at Miramar Beach in the second 2023 death along that stretch of coast, according to the weather service.
The first of the three fatal incidents that occurred over the weekend at Panama City Beach happened on Saturday at around noon near a hotel.
Kimberly Moore, 39, of Lithonia, Georgia was the first victim who lost her life in the popular but deadly Florida beach this weekend.
Only about an hour later, Morytt Burden, 63, of Lithia Springs, Georgia died near a resort.
Not far from a different resort in the city, a tourist named Donald Wixon, 68, of Canton, Michigan died while at the beach at 4.20pm.
