A woman has been injured after a loose beach umbrella impaled her in the chest, the second such accident in the space of a week on the United States east coast.
The victim, aged 46, was sitting in a chair on a beach in Maryland when the umbrella was caught in a gust of wind and struck her on the upper part of the chest.
The wooden pole of the umbrella had to be cut in half by fire crews so it could be removed, according to local media.
The incident happened in the resort town of Ocean City at about 3pm local time on Sunday afternoon.
An Ocean City spokeswoman, Jessica Waters, said the woman, from Pennsylvania, was flown to nearby hospital. She is expected to make a full recovery.
Last week a British woman was injured when a parasol pierced her leg on a beach in New Jersey.
Margaret Reynolds, 67, was at Seaside Heights when part of the umbrella pierced her right ankle and was driven completely through due to the “force of the wind”, the Asbury Park Press reported.
Borough Police Chief Tommy Boyd said fire crews had to use a bolt cutter on the umbrella to free her, and then put her in an ambulance.
