2 patients die in the sheriff's van submerged by the waters of Florence

Two patients, trapped inside a sheriff's van, died Tuesday night in South Carolina after the truck was submerged by the waters of Hurricane Florence, authorities said.

The accident occurred between 17h and 18h. while two deputies from the Horry County Sheriff's Office were leading women between health facilities along Highway 76 in northeastern South Carolina. The driver, one of the deputies, lost control of the truck in high water, according to Jerry Richardson, Marion County Coroner, S.C.

Both MPs managed to get out of the submerged vehicle and get on the van. But according to a statement from the sheriff's office, repeated efforts to remove the women from the backseat were unsuccessful.

"Despite persistent and persistent efforts, flood waters have risen rapidly and MPs have been unable to open the doors to reach people inside the van," the statement said.

A rescue team arrived on the scene, between the towns of Mullins and Nichols – about 800 meters from the Little Pee Dee River – and took the MPs to safety. Officers were put on administrative leave during the investigation, the Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday.

Richardson described the two women who died as patients transported from McLeod Loris Hospital to a mental health center in Darlington, S.C. The authorities did not specify why the women were displaced.

Tuesday night late, the bodies were not found or identified.

"It's so hard out there with the strong current, and the dark, that we thought it would be safer to do the recovery in the morning," said Richardson.

Continuing rains in the Carolinas caused overflowing rivers and overflows on the roads, prompting authorities to issue flash floods in all states. The storm was accused of more than 30 deaths.

The law enforcement division of South Carolina investigates the episode.

"Tonight's incident is a tragedy," said Sherry Phillip Thompson of Horry County in a statement. "Just like you, we have questions we want to answer. We are cooperating fully with the State Law Enforcement Division to support their investigation of this event. "