A distraught South Carolina family has made a plea for prayers after a 19-year-old woman went missing following a horrific boat crash. Mallory Beach, the youngest of three sisters, has not been seen since a boat she was on crashed into a bridge in Beaufort County early Sunday morning.
Search and rescue operators have continued to look for the teen, but with no success thus far. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has been the agency leading the search, with a spokesperson noting telling the Island Packet that it is “an all-hands-on-deck situation.”
“She’s always happy. Everybody loves her, loves being around her,” her sister Savannah Tuten told the outlet. “We are still hoping and praying that we find her alive.”
Phillip Beach, Mallory’s father, spoke of his daughter’s faith.
“She is a Christian. She knows the Lord,” he said, according to the National Center For Missing and Endangered Facebook page.
“Not a doubt in my mind that I know that,” Tuten added.
Six people, including Beach, were on board the boat when it crashed, with five of them being taken to hospital with minor injuries. Mallory’s boyfriend, Anthony Cook, said that he tried his best to save her, but the conditions were too treacherous.
“I knew if I didn’t turn back then, I wouldn’t make it,” he added.
This is the scene where the tragedy unfolded:
Many have posted well-wishes and comments of support on social media following news of the incident.
“Praying for Mallory’s safe return and her family and friends,” one Facebook user wrote.
“Prayers for safe return and for family and friends. Hugs and love to all involved,” another added.
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Capt. Robert McCullough noted that, as time marches on, the rescue operation will start to become a recovery mission.
“The problem is we don’t have an exact location — it doesn’t look like a big area until you try to start searching the bottom, and it’s a huge area,” he said, according to People magazine. “The other problem is with the fast-moving water, depending on the person, you could get pulled out a long way if you’re struggling or fighting or have a life jacket on.”
Do pray for Mallory’s family at this excruciating time.