The Gulf of Mexico's white sandy beaches are a draw for tourists, and as the busy Fourth of July holiday approaches, officials are hoping beachgoers will take extra precaution.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A former NFL quarterback, a firefighter from Georgia and two fathers who drowned while trying to save their children are among at least 10 recent victims of dangerous rip currents along Gulf of Mexico beaches stretching across Florida's Panhandle to Mobile, Alabama.
Ford says his deputies have been cursed at as they've tried to warn visitors of the"life-threatening dangers” in the Gulf of Mexico. The sheriff notes there is only so much local officials can do, so he's asking tourists and residents to pay close attention to the flag status at the beach.That message is echoed by Greg Dusek, a senior scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's ocean service unit. He said that people can't always see the deep channels on the shoreline caused by rip currents, or even tell how dangerous conditions are by the weather.
While the popular Shark Week documentaries and the movie “Jaws” may have etched the fear of sharks into many beachgoers, drownings caused by rip currents claim many more lives. For example, in 2022 there were 108 documented shark bites of all types on humans worldwide, according to the International Shark File at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Of those, Florida accounted for 16 bites, all nonfatal, among the 41 in the U.S. There was one fatality in Hawaii.
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