NEED TO KNOW
- A man died after a sand dune suddenly collapsed on him as he was digging in it
- Kane Watson, 28, was visiting the beach with his four children when the dune collapsed, burying him headfirst for 15 minutes, as his kids watched on
- “Family was always at the very center of who he was,” a family friend wrote online of Kane, who was expecting a new baby
A man died after a sand dune suddenly collapsed on him as he was digging in it.
Kane Watson, 28, was visiting Muriwai Beach, located about 25 miles outside Auckland, with his 18-month-old daughter and three stepsons on Saturday, Aug. 23, when the tragedy occurred, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ) and the New Zealand Herald.
The outlets reported that Watson was playing with the children when the dune collapsed on top of him at around 5 p.m. local time, trapping him and leaving him calling out for help.
The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust told RNZ that Watson was buried headfirst and was trapped for about 15 minutes. His children began calling out for help and alerted several witnesses. Rescue teams eventually transported Watson to Auckland City Hospital, where he died on Sunday, Aug. 24.
Police told RNZ that an investigation will be carried out on behalf of the coroner.
In a Givealittle fundraiser started by a family friend, Watson was remembered as a “much-loved son, brother, partner and, above all, a devoted father” who had a new baby on the way.
“His greatest joy was being with his children — not only his own, but also the kids he cared for and loved as if they were his own. Family was always at the very center of who he was,” family friend Kristalle Tayler wrote alongside the fundraiser, which has garnered thousands of dollars in donations for Watson’s funeral costs.
“Most heartbreakingly, his youngest child, due early next year, will never get to meet him, but will grow up hearing stories of the incredible man who loved them before they were born,” Taylor continued. “The suddenness of this accident has left Kane’s family shattered.”
Speaking with RNZ, University of Auckland lecturer Colin Whittaker said he hopes the public can learn more about the dangers of sand dunes following the incident.
“If you’ve got a big dune above you and a lot of that collapses, you’ve potentially got something that weighs as much as an elephant collapsing on top of you,” he told the outlet. “That’s obviously very damaging, but also pretty hard to dig yourself out of, especially if you’re struggling for air.”
According to Whittaker, sand dunes can become unstable and collapse in seconds for a variety of reasons, including being cut by waves, vehicles driving over them, or people walking on them or digging into them.
“As soon as you start trying to dig someone out, as you dig a hole, the sand fills it back in. It’s incredibly challenging to do,” he added.
As for Watson’s family, they have told local outlets that they are “shattered” and still picking up the pieces following his death.
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Watson’s sister Shaquille told local outlet Stuff that he was “her best friend, her favorite person.”
“He was just an amazing dad,” Tayler added. “I guess that’s where it’s just the most heartbreaking thing. All he ever wanted was to have his own family, and it really does feel like the minute he got there, it was ripped away from him.“
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