A 49-year-old man from Fredericksburg, Va., died yesterday of apparent suffocation when a hole and tunnel in the sand that he was digging on the beach collapsed on top of him.
NPS park ranger Jon Anglin identified the victim as David Frasier who was on the beach just north of Ramp 27 near Salvo with family and friends.
The park received the call about 2:40 p.m. about the incident. The National Park Service, Chicamacomico Banks Rescue, Dare County Emergency Management, and the Dare County Sheriff’s Office responded.
According to the Park Service report on the incident, there were two holes dug in the sand about 5 to 6 feet deep. The victim was attempting to construct a tunnel between the two holes when the sand collapsed.
He was under 5 or 6 feet of sand for about 10 minutes, Anglin said, before he was uncovered by family and friends.
The first responders arrived just as the victim was dug out of the sand and started attempts to revive him that were unsuccessful.
Anglin reminds all beachgoers that digging deep holes in the sand may sound like a lot of fun but it can be a very dangerous thing to do.
