Teen dead after being trapped under sand at Outer Banks beach

Jason O. Boyd

Updated: May 7, 2023 / 07:10 PM CDT

A 17-year-old died after becoming trapped in a hole dug on the backside of a sand dune at Cape Hatteras National Seashore on May 6, 2023. (Getty)

FRISCO, N.C. (WNCT) — A 17-year-old boy died Saturday after being trapped under several feet of sand at a beach in Frisco, North Carolina, according to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Officials said law enforcement rangers responded at around 2 p.m. to a 911 call of a male teen trapped in a hole. The hole was dug in a back-dune area behind the primary dune and could not be seen from the beachfront, a press release from the park explaine d.

Family and friends were looking for the teen, who was only identified as being from Chesapeake, Virginia, and found him buried under several feet of sand.

Officials said the teen became buried after part of the adjacent dune collapsed into the hole.

Rangers worked with family members to get the teen out while also performing CPR. Dare County Emergency Medical Services personnel and Hatteras Island Ocean Rescue staff assisted but the teen died at the scene.

“Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers our condolences to his family and friends,” said David Hallac, superintendent of 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.”