WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT: A woman has died after being crushed by a police van in a horror incident on a beach in South Carolina, where witnesses desperately tried to save her

A woman tragically lost her life in a devastating incident after being crushed by a police vehicle on a beach, ending up trapped beneath it in the sand.

Horrified onlookers desperately attempted to save her, with harrowing footage capturing people trying to heave the hefty truck off her. The tragedy unfolded near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as the police pick-up was manoeuvring from a nearby road onto the beach and collided with the sunbather.

Witness Amanda Bilodeau recounted the chilling moment, saying she heard the victim "scream," and remarked: "And it was the most powerful scream, something that you can't ... like nothing from the movies or anything."

She described how a crowd hurried to assist upon grasping the gravity of the situation. Images and videos from the scene depicted a throng of individuals gathered around the stricken vehicle.

A swarm of beachgoers sprang into action to hoist the Horry County police truck away from 66-year-old Sandra Schultz-Peters.

Fellow witness Dennis Miller recounted: "She was pinned underneath the vehicle, so a bunch of men came over. We did our best to lift the car off of her."

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Despite the valiant rescue efforts, the woman succumbed to her injuries at the Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. Mr Miller expressed his sorrow, stating: "We hate that anything like that happened, and as far as the lady, we're just so sad for her, too. It's just an unfortunate accident."

The officer involved in the tragic incident has been placed on "administrative leave," with their identity kept under wraps, as per recent updates. The Horry County Police Department expressed their sorrow in a statement: "What occurred on the beach yesterday was a tragedy and we know our community is hurting. Our hearts are with all those impacted by this loss."

"We also know our community has questions. We do too. We have a responsibility to ensure the investigations - both external and internal - occur without delay or interference. We stand ready to provide what support we can to our community and the family experiencing this tragic loss. Horry County Police Department is providing any access and information that South Carolina Highway Patrol may require to complete their investigation."

In another shocking event, two individuals were fatally struck by lightning while strolling along the beach. As ominous clouds loomed, beachgoers in Mexico hurried along the coast when, without warning, a lightning bolt struck, hitting one person directly on the sand.

The lightning then travelled, striking another person before they could comprehend the danger. This heartbreaking occurrence happened on Friday, September 15. Both victims collapsed on Maruata Beach, a renowned surfing spot west of Mexico City.

One of the victims was identified as a local man, while the other, named Elvia de Jesus, was a tourist visiting the area. Elvia, 33, hailed from Guanajuato - a city in central Mexico renowned for its silver mining and colonial architecture.

She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics and Mexican Navy personnel.