Orange Beach, Ala. - (OBA) - On the evening of Tuesday, June 20, 2023, a man visiting from Texas tragically lost his life in an apparent drowning at Orange Beach. The incident, which is being investigated as a drowning by Orange Beach police, occurred near the west jetty at Perdido Pass just before 6:00 p.m. Red and purple flags warning of hazardous conditions were flying at the time of the incident and were still up on Wednesday along Baldwin County beaches.
The victim has been identified as 47-year-old Hugh Pham of Murphy, Texas. He was pulled from the water around 5:50 p.m. by bystanders who initiated CPR while first responders were en route. Despite the life-saving measures taken, Pham was transported to the Gulf Shores Freestanding Emergency Room, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 6:40 p.m. The Baldwin County Coroner, Dr. Brian Pierce, has listed his death as a drowning.
The incident occurred in an area where single Red flags were flying, which represent High Hazard with High Surf and/or Strong Currents. On such days, beachgoers are advised to stay on the shore. The surf had calmed considerably by Wednesday, but the single red flag remained up throughout the day.
Adding to the potential hazards, purple flags have also been raised in the area in the last several days due to jellyfish showing up in the surf zone.
Recent incidents have underscored the risks present along Baldwin County's coastline. In addition to the tragic drowning that took place in Orange Beach, authorities are still actively searching for a man from Oklahoma who disappeared while swimming at Gulf Shores beach the previous Saturday.