PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.– It started as single red flags Sunday morning, but was quickly upgraded to double red as first responders performed a number of water rescues throughout the day.
Panama City Beach police and Beach fire rescue arrived at the beach near Crane street and Front beach road in response to a distressed swimmer.
The swimmer was pulled from the water shortly after 2 o’clock.
First responders and bystanders performed CPR at the scene before transporting the patient to a nearby hospital.
The man pulled from the water has been identified as 59-year-old Jeffrey Simms of West Virginia.
Despite life-saving measures, Simms passed away. Single red flags were flying at the time.
Another drowning death happening shortly after, this one behind the Long Beach resort.
Witnesses said 41-year-old Jesse Spaulding of West Virginia, was swimming when he was caught in a rip current.
Spaulding was pulled to shore by bystanders as they began CPR.
He was transported to a hospital where he later died.
