Man loses parts of both legs after being struck by boat propeller off Myrtle Beach

A man had both legs amputated below the knees following an ocean rescue on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Coast Guard Lt. J.B. Zorn said that the adult man, whom he didn't identify, suffered the injuries after trying to transfer between parasailing to a banana boat. He went into the water where his legs were hit by a boat's propeller.

The Coast Guard investigation is ongoing, Zorn said. Coast guard investigations initially focus on what occurred and ways to prevent it, Zorn said.

The rescue was first report at about 5:30 p.m. near 3rd Avenue South. The victim was taken to Grand Strand hospital following the incident. Witnesses said they saw a lot of blood coming from the victim's legs.

This story was originally published June 20, 2018 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Man loses parts of both legs after being struck by boat propeller off Myrtle Beach."