Chesapeake teen dies after hole collapses on Outer Banks beach

A Chesapeake teenager died Saturday after a hole dug in the sand collapsed a dune and trapped him underneath.

The collapse happened about 2 p.m. just east of off-road vehicle ramp 49 in Frisco, Cape Hatteras National Seashore officials said in a release.

Family and friends went looking for the 17-year-old before finding him buried under several feet of sand in a hole dug on a back dune behind the primary dune. The back dune was not visible from the beachfront. Portions of the adjacent dune had collapsed into the hole, the release said.

Rangers worked with family members to extract the teen while performing CPR. Dare County medics and Hatteras Island Ocean Rescue staff assisted with pulling the teen from the hole and attempting life-saving measures.

Outer Banks officials launched a safety awareness campaign last year, warning visitors of the dangers of large holes dug on the beach after a teen was killed when a hole he was digging on the New Jersey shore collapsed.

Holes on the beach also pose a hazard to ocean rescuers, who must navigate quickly to save lives, and to local residents who commute on the 4×4 beaches of the Currituck Outer Banks.

In addition to the danger they pose to humans, holes in the sand can be deadly to sea turtle nestlings, who may get trapped when they hatch. Sea turtle nesting season along the Outer Banks runs from May through August.

“Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers our condolences to his family and friends,” seashore superintendent David Hallac said in the release. “We urge visitors not to dig deep holes on the beach due to the danger they present to beachgoers and emergency response staff.”

Kari Pugh, kari.pugh@virginiamedia.com