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The sheriff's office is \"pleased\" that the victims' bodies were recovered, thanking all of the responding agencies for their efforts.

The deputies who were in the van tried to extricate the patients, but, due to rapidly rising floodwaters, were unable to open the van's doors to reach the shackled women, according to a statement from County Sheriff Phillip Thompson. Rescue teams responded in time to save the deputies.

The coroner in neighboring Marion County confirmed the two deceased patients were female, and the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division is investigating the incident, according to the statement.

\"PHOTO:
AP
PHOTO: The Lumber River overflows onto a stretch Interstate 95 in Lumberton, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, following flooding from Hurricane Florence.
>

\"Tonight's incident is a tragedy,” Thompson said in the statement. \"Just like you, we have questions we want answered. We are fully cooperating with the State Law Enforcement Division to support their investigation of this event.\"

The patients were being transported from Loris Hospital Waccamaw Center for Mental Health to McLeod Health, which runs multiple facilities in the region, according to WPDE.

The incident happened in the area of the Little Pee Dee River, which branches off from the Lumber River, in Mullins, South Carolina. The Lumber River overflowed its banks following the record rains dumped by Hurricane Florence.

ABC News' Julia Jacobo, Darren Reynolds and Louise Simpson contributed to this report.

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