A 12-year-old boy is recovering after sand caved in on him at an Ocean County beach.
The boy was on the 17th Street Beach in Surf City, New Jersey around 1:45 p.m. Monday. Police told NBC10 the child was digging a hole with other children when the sand suddenly collapsed on top of him.
"I guess he must have dug really deep and got in there and the children had trouble getting him out," said Lou Varone, a witness.
Lifeguards and bystanders rushed over and pulled the boy out of the sand.
"I looked over and all of a sudden these parents were standing over," said Eliza Pluckhorn, another witness. "I couldn't see what was happening and I walked over and I saw a little boy and his eyes were closed. His face was covered in sand and I didn't know what was happening."
One of the lifeguards performed CPR on the boy and he started breathing again, according to police.
The child was taken by medical helicopter to Cooper University Hospital where he is currently in stable condition.
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It's illegal to dig a hole more than a foot deep at the 17th Street Beach. Officials say Monday's incident should serve as a reminder to beachgoers that sand is unstable and potentially dangerous.
"Our beach badge checkers and our special police office on the beach are constantly telling people not to dig too deep," said Surf City Councilman and spokesman Pete Hartney. "People don't heed the warnings."
