PANAMA CITY BEACH ― A second person has drowned this year while swimming off the coast of the Beach.
According to Shari Cooper, spokesperson for Panama City Beach, a woman drowned on May 25 near Beach Access 52, marking the second beach drowning in 2026 for Panama City Beach. The incident occurred under single-red-flag conditions.
“Lifeguards were seeking shelter from lightning and inclement weather conditions,” Cooper wrote in a text. “Bystanders pulled her in, began CPR and called 911.”
The victim was then taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Since single red flags were flying at that time, that means strong rip currents were present along the coast. These are fast-moving currents that run perpendicular to the shore and channel water out into the Gulf. Rips, not wave heights, are what lifeguards use to determine the colors of the beach flag warning system.
Common colors used in beach flag warning systems include a green flag for low hazard conditions, a yellow flag for medium hazard conditions, one red flag for high hazard conditions and two red flags for very dangerous conditions.
Bay County and Panama City Beach, however, never fly green flags. Local officials say beachgoers should be cautious any time they enter the Gulf. It also is illegal year round in Bay and PCB to enter the Gulf under double-red-flag conditions. Violators can be ticketed up to $500.
The city’s first beach drowning of 2026 happened on May 7 near Beach Access 51. The victim was a male who also drowned during single-red-flag conditions.
With the most recent death, Panama City Beach is only one beach drowning away from recording the same number of drownings in 2026 as it did in 2025. The city’s 2025 drownings were on May 17 near Beach Access, June 14 near Beach Access 52 and July 27 near Beach Access 42.
For more information on local beach conditions and to sign up for daily text alerts, text “PCBFLAGS” to 888777.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: A second beachgoer has drowned this year in Panama City Beach
Reporting by Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
