A woman died in a freak accident after a beach umbrella became loose and impaled a woman in the chest, according to officials.
The incident occurred Wednesday at around 12:40 p.m. when winds caused an umbrella anchor to come loose at Beach Access 14 on Calhoun Drive in Garden City, South Carolina.
The umbrella was carried by the wind and then struck Tammy Perreault, 63, who was nearby, in the chest, Horry County chief deputy coroner Tamara Willard said in a statement via WBTW.
She was taken to the Hospital but died about an hour later after being struck.
“This is a terrible loss, and we know our community is hurting,” Willard said. “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim as they navigate through this difficult time.”
Willard noted that the umbrella was not Perreault’s and the incident is still being investigated.
The coroner also commended lifeguards, Good Samaritans, and off-duty medical professionals who provided Perreault aid at the beach.
“Their actions to offer comfort and first aid are honorable and appreciated,” Willard added.
WBTW reported that winds on Wednesday in Garden City reached 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 21 mph.
A local restaurant paid tribute to Perreault and mourned her loss.
“Today with heavy hearts we mourn the loss of a dear friend and kind hearted local, Tammy Perreault,” Scotty’s Beach Bar wrote in a Facebook post. “Some things we will never begin to understand but what we do know is no one has a bad thing to say about this woman. To be as sweet as her day in and day out should be a goal for all.”
A study published in 2021 found that there were 5,512 beach umbrella injuries from 2000 to 2019, with the majority of injuries happening to women over the age of 40.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
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