Rip Current — Okaloosa, Florida

2003-06-08 · near Destin, Okaloosa, Florida

Event narrative

A thirty one year old female from Indiana jumped into the gulf to rescue her son who was having trouble swimming in the rough surf. Both of them were pulled out of the rough water and transported to a local hospital. She was pronounced dead and her son was treated and released. The drowning occurred around James Lee Park where red flags warning of dangerous surf were flying. The drownings in Okaloosa county were part of a rash of drownings that occurred along the beaches of Walton and Okaloosa counties on this date. Six people drowned in Walton county that day. The rough water was the result of swells of four to six feet moving ashore. Ten people along the Okaloosa county beaches had to be transported to local hospitals where they were treated and released. Many others had to be pulled from the rough surf where they were treated on the beach . Officials were flying and driving along the beaches to warn people of the dangerous surf. People would exit the water and then go back in after the officials had left.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5373538. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.