Virginia boy, 17, dies after hole dug in sand dune at North Carolina beach collapses on him
FRISCO, NORTH CAROLINA: A tragic incident unfolded on a North Carolina beach as a 17-year-old Virginia teenager lost his life after being trapped in a dug hole when a dune collapsed on him. The victim whose identity remains undisclosed, was discovered buried under several feet of sand in Frisco, North Carolina, after rangers were alerted to the scene.
The teenager's family had been searching for him when they found him deep within the sand hole, prompting Rangers to join forces to rescue the victim and perform CPR simultaneously. Despite the efforts of first responders, they were unable to revive him. An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the collapse and the subsequent tragedy.
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'Authorities issue high alert warning'
Authorities reported that the hole had been dug in a back-dune area that was not visible from the beachfront. Whilst the National Park Service stated that portions of an adjacent sand dune appeared to have collapsed into the hole. Dare County Emergency Medical Services and Hatteras Island Ocean Rescue collaborated to extricate the boy from the hole, but unfortunately, their life-saving measures were unsuccessful. Authorities expressed their condolences to the family while cautioning against the dangers of digging deep holes on the beach.
"Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers our condolences to his family and friends," said David Hallac, superintendent of the National Parks of Eastern North Carolina. "We urge visitors not to dig deep holes on the beach due to the danger they present to beachgoers and emergency response staff," he continued, as per Daily Mail. This incident comes in the wake of previous warnings and initiatives to address the issue of digging holes on the beach.
'Dig holes no deeper than knee level'
In 2022, Ocean Rescue in the Outer Banks held a press conference urging people to fill in their holes following scores of deaths reported. "The holes have become quite a big issue. It's almost as if people didn't hear the advisory or they decided it was a good idea to see what they could get away with," Ben Battaile, an assistant supervisor with Ocean Rescue, said. Social media trends, particularly on TikTok, have shown individuals digging large holes on beaches across the United States, prompting heightened concern among officials and the public.
"We have moms on the beach at night. We have babies going to the water at night," said Kelly Sloan, the Coastal Wildlife Director at the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF). "They face so many threats already. This is one small thing we can all do to help them," the woman continued. She emphasized the need to fill in holes after digging and ensuring they are no deeper than knee level.