Three men from Alabama went for a swim at a beach in Florida and got caught in a strong current, tragically leading to their deaths. This incident is part of a series of recent drowning deaths in Florida waters, including a couple from Pennsylvania who drowned off the state’s southeast coast.
The young men had just arrived in the Panama City Beach area with friends and had checked into their rental before going for a swim. Unfortunately, they encountered difficulty in the water and were caught in the rip current.
Emergency services were called around 8 p.m., and the U.S. Coast Guard and others began rescue efforts. Despite these efforts, the men were found separately and later pronounced dead at nearby hospitals. The men were identified as Harold Denzel Hunter, 25, Jemonda Ray, 24, and Marius Richardson, 24, all from Birmingham, Alabama.
Earlier in the week, red flags had been posted at the beach, warning of high surf and rip current conditions.
In a separate incident on Hutchinson Island along Florida’s southeast coast, a couple from Pennsylvania, Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48, drowned while swimming with their six children. Two of their teenage children were caught in the rip current but managed to swim ashore. Despite efforts by rescuers, Brian and Erica were pronounced dead at the hospital.