Alabama man drowns after being caught in rip current in Gulf, witnesses tell PCB police

PANAMA CITY BEACH — A man in his 70s drowned in the Gulf of Mexico near the 12800 block of Front Beach Road on Friday afternoon.

Panama City Beach police said Arturo Torres of Montgomery, Alabama, was visiting the area with family when, according to witnesses, he became caught in a rip current.

Officers were called at 2:17 p.m. to the beach behind the Days Inn in response to a possible drowning, according to a news release.

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They arrived to find Torres had been brought ashore by Beach Safety lifeguards who started CPR and other lifesaving measures. Those measures were continued by EMS while taking him to Bay Medical at the Beach, the release said.

Witnesses told police Torres had been swimming close to shore.

Yellow flags were flying. Posted signs say the flags indicate a medium hazard with "moderate surf and/or currents."

Wil Spivey, Beach Safety Division director for Panama City Beach Fire Rescue, told The News Herald last week that the city counted six drownings last year, and two so far this year.

Torres' death was being investigated as a drowning, according to the news release. That would make him the city's third drowning victim this year.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Alabama man drowns in Gulf of Mexico while visiting Panama City Beach