A 17-year-old boy lost his life after a sand dune collapsed into a hole at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina on Saturday.
The National Park Service received a 911 call around 2 pm on Saturday, May 6, reporting a teenager stuck in a hole in Frisco. Rangers responded to the call, and family and friends of the victim said they had been searching for the teen when they discovered him buried under sand in a hole and called for assistance.
According to the agency, parts of a nearby dune appeared to have caved in on the hole dug in a back-dune area that was not visible from the beachfront. The rangers and the victim’s relatives worked together to remove him from the sand while also performing CPR. Emergency Medical Services and Rescue staff supported and helped remove the boy from the hole and attempted life-saving measures. However, despite their efforts, the first responders could not resuscitate the teenager, whose identity was not publicized. Authorities are still investigating the incident.
Following the teenager’s tragic death, authorities have urged visitors to be cautious when digging holes on the beach.
In 2022, Ocean Rescue officials in the Outer Banks addressed concerns about the dangers posed by holes dug on beaches. Officials emphasized that holes should be no deeper than knee-height and should be filled in immediately after use. This simple rule helps prevent accidents and injuries.
Ben Battaile, an assistant supervisor with Ocean Rescue, expressed his frustration at the lack of adherence to the advisory, stating that the holes had become a significant problem. He suggested that some people may have ignored the warning or intentionally pushed the limits of what was allowed.
Over the years, dozens of lives have been lost due to collapsing sand holes. The sand’s weight makes breathing difficult, and sand can enter the lungs, depriving the brain and other organs of oxygen.
In late March, a 14-year-old boy named Hunter Flaxbeard died after being trapped in a sand hole in a rural area of Minnesota. Wabasha County Sheriff Rodney Bartsh ruled his death an accidental suffocation.
In May 2022, a 13-year-old boy from Utah passed away when a sand dune he was tunneling into at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park collapsed and buried him.
That same month, an 18-year-old man died at a beach in Toms River, New Jersey, when a large hole he and his sister were digging in the sand caved in. Although his sister was also trapped, she was fortunately rescued.