Panama City Beach: Deadliest Beach in the USA

Panama City Beach in Florida has become the deadliest beach in the U.S. so far in 2023, with three more deaths occurring over the weekend. Despite double red flag warnings prohibiting swimming in the Gulf, heavy rip currents led to the drownings and numerous rescues.

In the past nine days alone, Panama City has witnessed seven rip current-related deaths, surpassing all other beaches in the U.S. this year. The victims were all out-of-state tourists, raising concerns about compliance with the hazard flag system. Florida leads the nation in surf-related fatalities with 26 deaths this year, followed by Puerto Rico with 13.