Code enforcement officers began fining disobedient swimmers last July. That came after a dozen people drowned off the coast of PCB in 2019. A total of 118 people were cited for the offense from then until Oct. 31 of last year, according to information from the city.
Wil Spivey, beach safety director for Panama City Beach Fire Rescue, said Thursday that there have been no confirmed drownings in the Gulf off of PCB so far this year.
However, the body of William Janos, 66, was pulled from the Gulf on April 23 behind the Sterling Breeze Condominiums. A report from the District 14 medical examiner's office lists the man's cause of death as drowning.