MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – It was a busy Fourth of July holiday weekend for first responders along the city’s coast.
Amanda Long and her family got to Myrtle Beach from Kentucky for vacation Sunday, when they noticed the ocean was pretty rough in the afternoon.
“It was wavy,” Long said. “It was, but we stay up on-shore.”
“The waves were really big,” said Kara Stumler.
Up near 80th Avenue North, a woman was pulled from the ocean Sunday afternoon and died. The Horry County Coroner says the preliminary cause of death is drowning.
It wasn’t the only incident over the extended holiday weekend. Myrtle Beach police say a man who’s a former lifeguard helped a tired swimmer out about 75 yards get back to land Saturday. The man who was rescued is fine and was only brought to the hospital as a precaution.
On-shore at the Breakers Resort on North Ocean Boulevard Friday, city firefighters responded to the possible drowning of a child. Fire rescue says the child was responsive and taken to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center.
With these recent incidents on the water, some vacationers explained what they’re keeping in mind when they’re at the beach or at the pool.
“I tell my grandchildren don’t go out there too far and try to swim because the rip current will snatch you up and pull you in,” said James Bloodworth Sr., who’s visiting from North Carolina.
“We made sure we all stay in the same pool together, make sure they stay where they can reach the bottom,” said Long.
As of June 23, the National Weather Service said no one has died in South Carolina this year in rip currents or high surf. NWS does say eight have died in North Carolina.
Last August, two men drowned in the ocean in the city on the same weekend in unrelated incidents.
