PANAMA CITY BEACH - Panama City Beach police said Sunday they recovered the body of a 27-year-old man who drowned while trying to save distressed swimmers Saturday night.
Deputies from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office air unit spotted the body of Jamarcus Bell, of Hephzibah, Ga., in the water behind Beach Tower Resort Motel at 12001 Front Beach Road Beach and surf units with Panama City Beach police recovered Bell’s body about 150 yards from shore.
Bell went missing in the water behind the Grand Panama Beach Resort at 11807 Front Beach Road. Panama City Beach police Corp. Michael Gailfoil said Bell and a friend were attempting to help two women who had become distressed in the water, but became endangered themselves soon afterward.
“Apparently two females had gotten into trouble out there in the water and (Bell) and a friend of his went in to help them,” Gailfoil said. “Then the friend got into trouble and (Bell) helped him … at some point (Bell) went under.”
After the group made it back to shore, Bell was unaccounted for and a search began. Yellow flags, indicating moderate surf or current hazards, were on flying during the incident.
Bell worked at a Pepsi warehouse in Hephzibah and had two children, according to his Facebook page.
Gailfoil said that such a rescue attempt should not be tried by someone without proper training. But if someone does enter the water to rescue someone, he said, it’s always safer with a flotation device.