Body Of Drowning Victim Recovered Out At Sea
Rescue personal from the SINAPROC base located in the Western part of the province of Panama recovered the lifeless body of 27 year old Peankajkumar Kantilalpatel, of Hindu origin, at about 8:27 am this morning, out to sea. According to a press release from the institution, the person had been missing since yesterday, 25 December 2011 from the area of Playa el Palmar in the district of San Carlos. The press release said the drowning victim was together with some companions when he suddenly disappeared, and it was not known whether or not he entered the water or remained on the beach. The Director of the SINAPROC Arturo Alvarado recommends that anyone who goes swimming in the beaches or rivers should take great care when bathing, because there are still heavy rainfalls, and they should always pay attention to warnings. (Estrella)
Editor's Comment: The SINAPROC had issued warnings for higher than normal tides and the possibility of dangerous surf conditions in the days before this young man drowned. Dangerous currents can form quickly along the Pacific shores of Panama's coastline due to the extreme differences in tides. At one point in the day the water can be calm and easy to swim. But sometimes those waves and tides can form conditions in which dangerous riptides can be created. Most people don't have the skills to survive being suddenly sucked out to deep water by a very strong current - and rather than just relaxing they fight against it, wear themselves out, and drown. With the dry season coming up more people will head to the beach. It's a good time to post this reminder about what to do if you find yourself caught in a riptide.
