Authorities have reported that a stampede on a South Carolina beach left at least 19 individuals injured in the early hours of Sunday morning.
According to Horry County Fire Rescue, the incident occurred shortly after 1 a.m. near the staging area in Atlantic Beach, located about 13 miles north of Myrtle Beach.
While 19 people received medical assessments for injuries that were not life-threatening, three of them required hospital treatment.
The possibility of other individuals being affected and not receiving immediate medical attention has not been dismissed by officials.
The cause behind the stampede remains undisclosed.
This incident coincides with the ongoing Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival, which offers live music, social gatherings, and various entertainment events from Friday through Monday.
It was not revealed if the stampede victims were associated with the bike fest.
The annual motorcycle rally attracts hundreds of thousands of revelers to the area each year, according to the town’s website.
“Black Bike Week is recently reported to draw crowds in excess of 400,000 people to the area though it is hard to distinguish them from the crowd of spring breakers who have been in Myrtle Beach during the same time.
