Fire department officials said they were initially called to the scene of the Myrtle Beach Golf and Yacht Club for a water incident in a community pond.

By the time they arrived at around 11.45am, they discovered the deceased victim.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and its alligator removal service then euthanized the animal on the scene, and authorities say there is no ongoing threat to residents and travelers in the area.

An investigation into the unknown victim's death is ongoing, and in a statement, police said: 'Our hearts go out to the family and community members impacted by this tragic incident.'

Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said the coroner's office will release more info about the case on Monday. 

It comes weeks after residents first reported seeing alligators in the area.

Fire department officials were called to the scene of the Myrtle Beach Golf and Yacht Club on Friday morning for a water incident, and when they arrived on the scene they found an unknown victim dead in an alligator-infested pond

On May 8, resident Jason Repak first tweeted about seeing three large alligators at the pond, joking that they escaped a nearby alligator zoo.

He then told MyHorryNews that there are several 12 to 14-foot gators in the retention pond of the condominium community, explaining that there is a two-way road between the pond where the incident occurred on Friday and another retention pond behind his condo.

Alligators frequently cross that road.

Following the news of a fatality on Friday, Repak replied to his original tweet in May, writing: 'I couldn't have imagined that it was likely one of these alligators that would later kill a man.

'My prayers and heart go out to the family, as my arms wrap tighter around my kids and dogs near these ponds.'