Watch CBS News

Man From Texas Drowns Off Florida Panhandle Beach

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

DESTIN (CBSMiami/AP) — Authorities have identified a man who tragically died on New Year's Day.

A man who drowned in the Gulf of Mexico on a Florida Panhandle beach has been identified as a 27-year-old construction worker from Texas.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said Monday that the man from Houston drowned in waters off Destin.

Officials did not release his name but said the man was vacationing in the area with friends.

Emergency workers received word of a man struggling in the water a good distance from shore on Sunday.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, fire department first responders, the Walton Sheriff's Office, the Coast Guard and others assisted in searching for the man.

He was found dead about 40 minutes later.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.