Birmingham men who drowned in PCB identified by Bay County, Fla. sheriff

Bay County, Fla. Sheriff’s Office. identified the three Birmingham men who drowned in Panama City Beach, Fla. Friday night.

According to Sheriff Tommy Ford, Jemonda Ray, 24, Marius Richardson, 24, and Harold Hunter, 25, were caught in a rip current.

Witnesses said the three arrived in Panama City Beach, Fla., from Birmingham on Friday night and went straight to the water. Around 8 p.m., first responders received a call about swimmers in distress near the Watercress Condominiums.

After more than two hours of searching, all three men were pulled from the water and taken to local hospitals, where they were pronounced dead.

Ford thanked several agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Bay County Sheriff’s Air Unit, who assisted in the tense search. He said he is praying for the families of the young men and first responders who may be dealing with the emotional toll of the situation.

SEE ORIGINAL STORY: Three Alabama men die in desperate Gulf of Mexico search

A GoFundMe account has been set up to fund Jemonda Ray’s funeral.

“Jemonda was a brother, a son, a father, an uncle and also a friend,” wrote Jayla Ray, his sister. “He will be missed. We are grateful for all the blessings. Thank you.”

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