DESTIN, Fla. (AP) - Five people drowned and nearly 40 people
were rescued Sunday from rough waters off this Florida Panhandle
beach town, officials said.
Marietta Yakstis, 62, of Illinois drowned at Eastern Lake; David
Huang, 40, of Houston drowned at Fort Panic at Dune Allen Beach;
Larry LaMotte, 60, of Atlanta drowned at Grayton Beach; and an
unidentified fourth person, drowned at Blue Mountain Beach.
Maura Amos of Sellersburg, Ind., was pulled from the churning
surf along with a 9-year-old boy who is apparently her son, said
Sgt. Rick Hord of the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. Amos was
pronounced dead at Sacred Heart hospital, but the boy is expected
to recover fully.
"We've had a very, very busy day," said Walton County
Sheriff's Capt. Danny Glidewell. "I've been here a long time, and
I don't remember any day as bad as this."
A sheriff's helicopter flew along the beach and warned people to
stay out of the water. Red flags cautioning swimmers of dangerous
conditions were flying Sunday after two days of stormy weather
churned the surf.
In Walton County, at least 28 people were pulled from the water
by officials with the Walton County Sheriff's Office and the South
Walton Fire Department.
In neighboring Okaloosa County, at least 10 were rescued from
the churning waters.
Amos, who is in her 20s or early 30s, and the boy, Michael
Alexander, were traveling together on vacation, Hord said.
Authorities called family members in Indiana, some of whom were en
route to the hospital Sunday night, Hord said.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
were rescued Sunday from rough waters off this Florida Panhandle
beach town, officials said.
Marietta Yakstis, 62, of Illinois drowned at Eastern Lake; David
Huang, 40, of Houston drowned at Fort Panic at Dune Allen Beach;
Larry LaMotte, 60, of Atlanta drowned at Grayton Beach; and an
unidentified fourth person, drowned at Blue Mountain Beach.
Maura Amos of Sellersburg, Ind., was pulled from the churning
surf along with a 9-year-old boy who is apparently her son, said
Sgt. Rick Hord of the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. Amos was
pronounced dead at Sacred Heart hospital, but the boy is expected
to recover fully.
"We've had a very, very busy day," said Walton County
Sheriff's Capt. Danny Glidewell. "I've been here a long time, and
I don't remember any day as bad as this."
A sheriff's helicopter flew along the beach and warned people to
stay out of the water. Red flags cautioning swimmers of dangerous
conditions were flying Sunday after two days of stormy weather
churned the surf.
In Walton County, at least 28 people were pulled from the water
by officials with the Walton County Sheriff's Office and the South
Walton Fire Department.
In neighboring Okaloosa County, at least 10 were rescued from
the churning waters.
Amos, who is in her 20s or early 30s, and the boy, Michael
Alexander, were traveling together on vacation, Hord said.
Authorities called family members in Indiana, some of whom were en
route to the hospital Sunday night, Hord said.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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