FRISCO, N.C. (WAVY) – A 18-year-old Chesapeake man died Saturday after he was trapped under several feet of sand at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in Frisco, the National Park Service said.
Family and friends had gone looking for the teen and found him buried under several feet of sand, apparently caused by portions of the adjacent dune collapsing into the hole.
Seashore law enforcement rangers responded to a 911 call around 2 p.m. regarding a teen trapped in a hole, about a tenth of a mile east of off-road vehicle ramp 49 in Frisco, the National Park Service said.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the 18-year-old dug the hole in a back-dune area behind the primary dune, and was not visible from the beachfront, the park service said.
Rangers worked with the family to get him out of the hole while simultaneously performing CPR, and Dare County Emergency Medical Services personnel and Hatteras Island Ocean rescue staff helped to get the teen out of the hole and administer CPR.
The incident is under investigation.
“Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers our condolences to his family and friends,” said David Hallac, superintendent, 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.
*Correction: A previous version of this story stated that the teen was 17 years old. Officials say after further investigation, it was determined that the teen was 18.*