Eight pilots have been suspended from their flying duties after they flew Apache helicopters in front of beachgoers as part of Myrtle Beach’s Salute from the Shore event on July 4.
The South Carolina National Guard put out a statement confirming the suspension and that the pilots are still being paid.
“I can confirm that the SCARNG is currently reviewing the flight profile of the Apache helicopters that participated in the event,” Maj. Lisa Allen said. “As is routine, the pilots involved in the flight have been temporarily suspended from flight duties pending the outcome of this review. Please note that this suspension applies only to flight operations; the pilots continue to report for their regular daily duties in a non-flying capacity.”
The state’s National Guard did not specify which part of the pilots’ actions specifically is being investigated.
The Fourth of July event saw thousands of beachgoers celebrating various aircraft flying overhead. This year’s event was the first to feature Apache helicopters, and organizers had promised it would be a good show.
“Oh, it’s going to be fun,” Capt. Kyle Wise, a senior pilot instructor with the South Carolina Army National Guard, told local media ahead of the event.
“You can’t beat it, especially for America’s 250th birthday; those beaches are going to be packed,” he said. “We’re hoping, pending a few different variables, to stay safe, but we’re open to giving them a show and trying to get as low as feasibly possible.”
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Shortly after the show, videos circulated online of the Apaches, with social media users excited about how close the machines were to viewers.
“EPIC! Apache helicopters in South Carolina just went LOW FORMATION along the beach in Charleston on America 250, directly in front of Americans on the ground,” conservative commentator Eric Daugherty said on X.
After the news of the pilots’ suspension broke, South Carolina officials rebuked the investigation.
“The @SCNationalGuard needs to drop this review and restore these pilots immediately,” Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC) said Thursday. “Millions of Americans applauded the incredible display during Salute to the Shore flyover while expressing complete admiration for them & appreciation for our country and military. These pilots should be celebrated, not sanctioned.”
The state’s National Guard has not confirmed how long the pilots are expected to remain under investigation.