Panama City Beach in Florida has become the deadliest beach in the United States, with three more tourists losing their lives while swimming in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend, according to the Panama City Beach Herald.
The incidents occurred on Saturday, but it remains unclear whether the victims drowned or faced other medical emergencies in the water.
The victims of those incidents have been identified as Kimberly Moore, 39, from Lithonia, Georgia; Morytt Burden, 63, from Lithia Springs, Georgia; and Donald Wixon, 68, from Canton, Michigan, according to the police.
In the past nine days, a total of seven people have died at the beach due to the hazardous swimming conditions caused by rip currents, officials said. This death toll surpasses that of any other U.S. beach in 2023, according to data from the National Weather Service.
Additional fatalities have occurred under similar circumstances in the vicinity. One person lost their life on Thursday at nearby Blue Mountain Beach, while another individual died on Saturday at Miramar Beach, marking the second fatality on that beach this year. Rip current-related deaths, including those resulting from high surf and sneaker waves, have been on the rise nationwide, reaching a peak of 113 in 2021, according to weather service statistics.
Last year, 69 deaths were reported, and this year has already witnessed 60 surf zone fatalities across the United States.
News by Breaking911
