DESTIN, Fla. — A tourist who drowned in the Gulf of Mexico off Destin has been identified by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Carlos Wuberto Rodriguez, 36, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was seen struggling in the water near Gulf Shore Drive around 2 p.m. on June 14. Bystanders pulled him to shore, but he was already unconscious and did not survive, according to the sheriff’s office.
The agency confirmed his identity in an update issued June 16.
The drowning serves as a reminder for visitors to exercise caution in the Gulf, where rip currents and changing conditions can pose risks even for experienced swimmers.