Teenager dies after being buried under a mountain of sand in Utah park

A Utah teenager died on Sunday, a day after becoming trapped in a sand tunnel he was digging at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Kanab City.

The victim was identified as 13-year-old Ian Spendlove, who had visited the park with his family to go camping. However, the fun times ended in tragedy after he was buried in a mountain of sand while playing.

The incident occurred shortly before 5:30 p.m., when the park's emergency services received word of a cave-in, reported New York Post.

Family members began digging to rescue the child. Finally, site managers and Kanab County deputies arrived with shovels to try to locate the teenager, who was found 23 minutes later about six feet deep (almost two meters).

The minor still had a pulse when he was rescued from the sand. He received first aid and was transported by helicopter to St. George Regional Hospital and then sent to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. He died the next day after failing to recover brain activity.

"Unfortunately, on Sunday, Spendlove did not recover brain activity and was pronounced dead," park officials said in a statement. "The Utah Division of State Parks extends our condolences to the friends and family of Ian Spendlove affected by this tragedy."

Although the park is not considered a dangerous area, this is not the first time such an accident has occurred in a dune park or on the beach.

An 18-year-old visiting the Jersey Shore with his family died Tuesday after a 10-foot-deep sand pit he had dug with his 17-year-old sister collapsed on top of him.

The victim was identified as Maine resident Levi Caverley. His sister was immediately treated after being rescued from the hole, according to ABC News.

In August 2020, an 11-year-old boy died after becoming trapped under a mountain of sand while digging in Lake Superior, Michigan. As in the case of Ian Spendlove, rescuers managed to transport the little boy to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, reports El Comercio.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park has an extension of 13 kilometers and is located very close to the border between Utah and Arizona. It is a very popular place for sandboarding among the pink sand dunes that are between 10,000 and 15,000 years old.