In a tragic series of events, a 60-year-old woman from Missouri became the fifth tourist to die in just four days in the waters off Panama City Beach, Florida. Debbie Szymanski, visiting from St. Louis, was the latest victim of the dangerous riptides that have plagued the area. She was swimming near the Carillon neighborhood with her family on Sunday morning when they noticed she was unresponsive.
Family members quickly brought Szymanski to shore as sheriff’s deputies and EMS rushed to the scene. Despite their efforts, she was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. Szymanski’s death follows the drowning of three men on Friday and a teenager the previous day, highlighting the perilous conditions in the Gulf waters during this period.
