A disturbing video captures a beachgoer’s urgent attempt to save two boys after they became trapped in a flooded sand hole.
This incident took place near Newport Beach Pier last month. The boys were having a fun day at the beach, digging a sizeable hole near the water’s edge.
However, before long, water surged into the hole, causing it to collapse and engulf the boys in heavy, wet sand.
Onlookers appeared to panic, desperately trying to free the boys from the suffocating sand and prevent them from being swept away into the ocean.
I heard someone shouting for a lifeguard in the midst of the chaos.
Eventually, a couple of lifeguards dashed out and sprang into action to assist the boys.
After a few tense minutes, they were successfully rescued from the hole.
Newport Beach lifeguard Colonel Mark Herman noted, “When that sand gets wet, it gets heavy,” adding that the boys were essentially buried below their waists and unable to extricate themselves.
Herman remarked that the boys were fortunate they weren’t trapped deeper or that the situation didn’t escalate further.
He explained that tunneling into sand or being on top of a sandy cave can be particularly hazardous.
Witness Britney Hood, who saw the shocking event unfold, shared that it left her rattled.
“I couldn’t imagine a child’s hole collapsing like that. I’m so relieved they’re okay,” Hood noted. “We always have fun, but safety comes first.”
Herman stressed the need for caution at beaches, pointing out that they can be dangerous without proper safety measures.
“Even shallow holes can collapse suddenly, especially with rising tides. Seconds truly matter,” he said.
A report revealed 52 cases of people being buried in sand holes, with 31 fatalities from 1997 to 2007.
Victims ranged in age from 3 to 21 years old.
In a tragic incident in February 2024, a 7-year-old girl named Sloan Mattingly died after being trapped under the sand for about 20 minutes while digging with her siblings at a Florida beach. Her 9-year-old brother, Maddox, was rescued by their father and survived.
