A horrible accident unfolded on a New Jersey beach on Tuesday when two siblings were enjoying their time in the sun.
An 18-year-old male and his sister, 17, were digging a large hole when the sand collapsed on them while inside it. Rescue crews worked quickly to dig out both teens.
Sadly, the older teen, who has been identified as Levy Caverley, did not survive.
The incident took place in the small township of Toms River. According to news station WNBC, the teen and his family had been visiting the town from Maine.
Maurice "Mo" Hill, the town's mayor, said that the hole the teens were digging was extremely deep, at about 10 feet. Footage from station WCUA captured rescue crews in action, trying to dig to the bottom of the hole as quickly as possible, in hopes of saving both teens' lives.
Sadly, the death of the 18-year-old is the second reported death due to a sand collpase in just the past few days. A 13-year-old boy was recently killed while digging in the sand dunes at a Utah state park.
While digging deep holes in the sand can seem like a totally worry-free pastime, this terrible tragedy should illuminate its danger. Sand collapses, as well as rising tides, can prove deadly. In fact, these kinds of deaths are reported each and every summer. That's why some beaches have rules against holes being dug more than knee-deep.
