Fifth Tourist Drowns in Panama City Beach Waters in Four Days

A fifth tourist has drowned in Panama City Beach waters in just four days, prompting emergency officials to beg beachgoers to “please stay out of the water.”

Debbie Szymanski, of St. Louis, Missouri, was in the Gulf of Mexico around 11:30 a.m. Sunday when her family realized she had become unresponsive, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. 

After pulling her from the water, her family called for emergency help. The 60-year-old woman was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced deceased. 

The tragic incident comes just two days after three young dads from Birmingham, Alabama, perished after becoming caught in a rip current.

Cousins Jemonda Ray, 24, and Marius Richardson, 24, and their friend, Harold Denzel Hunter, 25, rushed to get into the water just minutes after their friend group checked into an Airbnb near Watercrest Condominiums on Friday evening, the New York Post reported. 

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office began searching for the “three distressed swimmers” shortly after 8:00 p.m.

Though all three men were located and pulled from the water, they all died at area hospitals. 

“It is with profound sadness that we announce all three young men that entered the water around 8PM today and became distressed have passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families,” Sheriff Tommy Ford said in a statement. “I want to thank Bay County Emergency Services, the FWC, and the Coast Guard for their help in the rescue efforts.”

Ray had a toddler son, Richardson was a married father of a two-year-old son, and Hunter was a dad of a young son and daughter, family members told AL.com.

Ray’s girlfriend and Richardson’s wife were also on the fateful beach trip. 

Ryker Milton, a 19-year-old from Oklahoma, became the first of the five victims on Thursday evening after also getting caught in a current, a local ABC station reported. 

Milton, of Muskogee, was at the beach with his friend around 4:00 p.m. when he was dragged out into the gulf. 

He was pulled from the water by lifeguards but later died in the hospital, Panama City Beach officials told the station.

The teen was a star soccer player at Hilldale High School, where he graduated from in 2023.

“Today, we lost one of the most special kids to come through our program. It’s so hard to describe this young man in words that will do his life justice,” Hilldale Soccer said in a Facebook post. “From all of the coaches, players, parents, and more, we love you Ryker. It was an honor to coach you, play with you, and cheer you on. You changed all of our lives. We will miss you so much.”

Following the multiple tragic deaths, the sheriff’s office has repeatedly warned people against going into the water while red flags are posted. 

“PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE WATER,” Ford posted on Sunday after Szymanski was brought ashore. “The water can appear calm but underneath currents are treacherous today. It’s just too dangerous right now to swim.”

All five victims were swimming when red flags were posted on the beaches, according to the New York Post.