17-year-old Riccardo Boni was on vacation with his family at a popular beach in Montalto, northwestern Italy on 10/7. Boni was digging a sand tunnel, intending to crawl through it. While he was inside, the tunnel unexpectedly collapsed, burying him completely.
Boni was 1.75 m tall and the hole was 1.5 m deep, so initially his head was above the sand. However, after a few minutes, he apparently became exhausted and fell, unable to call for help.
Boni's father didn't realize what had happened, assuming his son was playing with his younger siblings on the beach. At 3 PM, when Boni didn't return, the family began searching. After about 40 minutes, Boni's 5-year-old brother pointed to the collapsed tunnel and said, "My brother is under there".
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The scene of the accident. Photo: Daily Star |
The scene of the accident. Photo: Daily Star
Boni's father, other beachgoers, and lifeguards immediately began digging with their bare hands. Unfortunately, Boni was already dead.
"When sand collapses, its weight prevents any oxygen from reaching the trapped person, and rescue is difficult because the sand can collapse further," a source familiar with the incident said. Witnesses also reported that there were no immediate signs of the collapse, as the hole was quickly filled with sand.
Local authorities expressed their condolences to the family and canceled all recreational events on 10/7 and 11/7.
Hoai Anh (Daily Star)
