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Shelly Burgado was airlifted to Savannah's Memorial Health University Medical Center at about 6 p.m. Saturday after falling from a boat she had been riding in with seven friends near the Alljoy Beach Landing, officials with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources said.
Jeff Tinsley, 22, of Bluffton, who was on the boat, said Burgado fell into the water after the driver made a sharp left turn to pick up a wake boarder who had fallen.
Tinsley said Burgado was at the front of the boat when she fell and was hit by the back of the boat and motor as it turned.
"I didn't see her go into the water, but as soon as we made the turn we heard this noise like we had hit something," he said. "... We looked back and she was in the water ... It looked bad."
Tinsley said Burgado had deep cuts on her face and legs after being hit by the propeller.
"When we got her to the dock ... we knew right away that she was in trouble," he said. "I wrapped a towel tight around her legs and we just prayed. It was all we could do."
DNR is investigating the incident, but no charges have been filed in the case, officials said.
"Right now, it appears this was just a tragic accident," Lt. Robert McCullough, a law enforcement investigator with DNR, said Monday. "But we'll need to finish our investigation before we can say for certain."
McCullough added it would probably be a week or two before the investigation is completed, and it could be delayed if Burgado's condition worsened.
Tinsley said Burgado had been invited to ride in the boat by a friend who also was aboard, but he and most of the other people in the group didn't know her.
"This is just a sad way to meet someone," Tinsley said. "Even though I didn't know her, I know we're all pulling for her really hard. We're all still praying. We haven't stopped."
