Many people enjoy going to the beach for vacation, soaking up the sun, playing in the sand, and swimming in the sea. Children especially love playing in the sand, building sandcastles, and digging holes. However, many are unaware of the potentially fatal dangers of digging deep holes on the beach.
Professor Stephen Leatherman, a coastal science professor at Florida International University, issued a serious warning on theconversation website, reminding the public to pay extra attention to safety when allowing children to dig holes on the beach.
In February 2024, a 7-year-old girl and her 9-year-old brother dug a hole about 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep on the beach. Unfortunately, the sand collapsed, burying the girl alive and tragically ending her life.
As a coastal scientist who has studied beaches for years, Leatherman was asked to help investigate the girl’s death. He explained that when a sand pit collapses, it can be extremely difficult to escape if the hole is deep enough. In fact, research shows that more people die from suffocation due to being buried in sand than from shark attacks.
From 1997 to 2007, 31 people in the United States died as a result of sand collapses, with the majority being children and 87% being male. During this period, an additional 21 people reported sand collapse incidents but were fortunately rescued after CPR.
The victims of sand collapses ranged in age from 3 to 21 years old. These holes typically have diameters of 2 to 15 feet (0.6 to 4.6 meters) and depths of 2 to 12 feet (0.6 to 3.7 meters). Activities like digging, tunneling, jumping into holes, and accidentally falling into them can trigger collapses.
On February 20th, an accident occurred at a Florida beach where a pair of siblings dug a large sand pit. The pit suddenly collapsed, burying both children. The 9-year-old brother was rescued, but the 7-year-old sister was killed on the spot.
Their parents immediately shouted for help, and bystanders rushed to assist in the rescue effort. The siblings’ uncle, Chris Sloan, mentioned in an interview with NBC’s KFOR-TV, recounted that everyone was having a good time before the incident occurred, with people gathering to watch the children play in the sand.
Suddenly, the sand pit collapsed, burying the 7-year-old girl completely while the sand reached only up to the chest of the 9-year-old boy, who screamed for help. The girl clung to her brother’s foot, hoping he could rescue her until she stopped moving.
Five minutes later, paramedics arrived and stabilized the sand pit’s edges to prevent further collapse. They successfully rescued both children, but the girl was already lifeless when pulled out and later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Shawn DeRosa, who runs a lifeguard training company, warned that many parents overlook the hidden risks of digging sand pits, allowing children to dig deep and large holes. While they may be aware of the possibility of collapse, they may not realize the immediate danger and challenges of rescuing their children once a collapse occurs.
Leatherman explained that rescuing someone from a collapsed sand pit is extremely challenging due to the heavy and unstable nature of sand. Rescuers only have about 3 to 5 minutes to save someone trapped in a sand pit before they suffocate.
The key to saving someone trapped in a collapsed sand pit is to expose their mouth and clear the sand above their chest. If the mouth can be exposed, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation can be performed, while other rescuers continue to dig away the sand pressing on the chest.
Although bystanders may instinctively try to shovel away sand to rescue victims, they may not realize that the sand pit will continue to collapse under the weight of rescuers and fill back up with sand.
Therefore, during sand pit rescues, professionals like firefighters often place boards over the hole. This allows them to reach in and dig out sand with tools without directly applying any weight on the hole.
Leatherman emphasized that having too many people involved in a sand pit rescue can worsen the situation. “Only two to three rescuers need to operate at the victim’s location,” he said. However, others can help reinforce the sand in the outer areas, relieving pressure on the main rescuers and making it easier to remove collapsed sand.
Experts recommend that the depth of holes should not exceed the knee height of the shortest individual in the group, with a maximum depth of 2 feet (0.6 meters) recommended for safety.