WOODBURY - Ian Johnson, 44, of Woodbury apparently drowned Thursday while swimming in the Gulf of Mexico with one of his children.
His wife and two other children were also vacationing at Destin, Fla., when the death occurred. They were at the beach near Pelican Beach Resort condominiums, said Michele Nicholson, public information officer for Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Johnson appeared to be in distress, struggling to swim. Lifeguards pulled him out of the water, and deputies were called to the beach at about 3:20 p.m. Thursday.
Lifeguards performed CPR on Johnson, who was unconscious. He was later pronounced dead at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, according to a Friday press release.
Nicholson said she was unaware of any warnings of riptides or other unsafe water conditions from beach safety officials. A number of people were at the beach that day, she said.
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Although it was an apparent drowning, the official cause of death will come after a medical examiner makes a determination, according to Nicholson.
