A 49-year-old man who was found in a restricted area of Myrtle Beach International Airport was pronounced dead this morning soon after he stabbed himself several times, officials said.

A maintenance man located the man on the airport grounds at 10:45 a.m. and called airport police, said Sgt. Robert Kegler of Horry County police.

The man then pulled a knife and stabbed himself several times, Kegler said.

The man suffered several superficial stab wounds to the abdomen area and a more serious wound to the upper chest, Kegler said.

The man's identity has not yet been released, said Horry County Deputy Coroner Chris Burroughs.

It is unclear how the man got past a barbed-wire fence outside the airport and onto the airfield, said Lauren Morris, spokeswoman for Horry County Dept. of Airports. Horry County police are reviewing security tape to see how the man got into the restricted area.

The man was rushed to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center by EMS and later died at 11:05 a.m., Kegler said.

Flights and passengers inside the terminal were not affected, Morris said.