Police Urging People off the Beach After Drowning

By: Associated Press

Updated: Fri 7:29 PM, Jul 04, 2003

That's the message from police at Panama City Beach where dangerous currents have taken many lives in the last couple of decades.

Police added extra patrols to the beach today and urged people to stay out of the water the day after two people drowned in rough seas churned by the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill, but despite Wednesday's deaths and the drownings of nine others in Panhandle surf last month, many people ignored red flags and the warnings from officers.

One of Wednesday's victims was identified as 54-year-old William E. Jones of Jonesboro, Georgia. He went into the Gulf to try to save two teenage girls who were caught in a current. One of the girls drowned.

The identity of the girl isn't being released yet.

At least five other rescued swimmers were taken to hospitals

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