‘I won’t forget it’: Kite surfer finds body of drowned woman off Myrtle Beach shore
A kite surfer found a woman dead in the ocean in the north section of Myrtle Beach Sunday evening.
The Horry County Coroner’s Office said the victim was pulled from the ocean near 84th Avenue North just after 6:30 p.m.
Local kite surfer John Mauldin said he was about a quarter mile off shore when he saw what he thought was a turtle, but was actually the body of a 50-year-old woman who drowned.
Mauldin circled around the area and saw the woman’s hands and noticed she was wearing a wet suit.
“I couldn’t see her face. She was floating on her back,” he said. “I won’t forget it.
“The currents were running very strong,” he said, adding the situation was “more surprising than anything.”
He quickly went back to shore for help, and found a man who called officials. Mauldin then went back into the water to find the body to help ocean rescue in the recovery. Mauldin, who has been kite surfing for 15 years, said he has never experienced anything like he did Sunday.
An autopsy found the cause of death was drowning, said Darris Fowler, Horry County deputy coroner. A Myrtle Beach Police Department incident report lists the victim as a 50-year-old woman.
Horry County Coroner Robert Edge said the victim’s name will be released after family is notified.
MBPD is investigating the incident.
This story was originally published July 8, 2019 at 9:49 AM with the headline "‘I won’t forget it’: Kite surfer finds body of drowned woman off Myrtle Beach shore."
