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| Police name sand death teenager | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Police have named the teenager who died after a tunnel dug in sand dunes collapsed around him. | |
| Craig Owen, 16, from Brymbo, Wrexham was trapped 5ft (1.52m) below the surface underneath several tonnes of sand, rescuers have said. | |
| They spoke of family and friends panicking as rescuers tried to dig him free at Cefn Sidan beach near Burry Port in Carmarthenshire on Sunday. | They spoke of family and friends panicking as rescuers tried to dig him free at Cefn Sidan beach near Burry Port in Carmarthenshire on Sunday. |
| Rescuers called for warning signs to be put up at the beach. | |
| Paramedics tried to resuscitate Craig but he was pronounced dead in hospital. | |
| He had been one week into a three week holiday with his family and friends when the incident happened, the BBC understands. | He had been one week into a three week holiday with his family and friends when the incident happened, the BBC understands. |
| He had been playing with a group of up to 15 other children in the dunes behind the beach in Pembrey Country Park. | He had been playing with a group of up to 15 other children in the dunes behind the beach in Pembrey Country Park. |
| The family was panicking, the friends were panicking - there was a lot of screaming and crying. John Jones, Swansea Coastguard | The family was panicking, the friends were panicking - there was a lot of screaming and crying. John Jones, Swansea Coastguard |
| The BBC has been told that family and friends had been digging two deep holes about a car length apart and had been trying to dig a tunnel to connect the two holes. | The BBC has been told that family and friends had been digging two deep holes about a car length apart and had been trying to dig a tunnel to connect the two holes. |
| Craig was inside the tunnel when it collapsed on top of him. | |
| Swansea Coastguard watch manager Dave Hughes said the alarm was raised at around 1910 BST and Burry Port coastguard team were on the scene within 15 minutes. | Swansea Coastguard watch manager Dave Hughes said the alarm was raised at around 1910 BST and Burry Port coastguard team were on the scene within 15 minutes. |
| He said: "By that time the child had been trapped in the sand for approximately 20 minutes. | He said: "By that time the child had been trapped in the sand for approximately 20 minutes. |
| "Because we've had a lot of rainfall over the last couple of days, the sand becomes quite compact and obviously it becomes very dense as well. | "Because we've had a lot of rainfall over the last couple of days, the sand becomes quite compact and obviously it becomes very dense as well. |
| "I believe the tunnel was a huge tunnel they were able to walk through, and it became unsteady and unfortunately collapsed around the young boy." | "I believe the tunnel was a huge tunnel they were able to walk through, and it became unsteady and unfortunately collapsed around the young boy." |
| Craig Owen was playing with a group of friends in the dunes | |
| Coastguard station officer John Jones who was in charge of the rescue operation, said one of the boy's friends had managed to uncover his head but his body was still buried when they arrived on the scene. | Coastguard station officer John Jones who was in charge of the rescue operation, said one of the boy's friends had managed to uncover his head but his body was still buried when they arrived on the scene. |
| "Then the team set about digging out as much we we could to expose the chest so that the paramedic could give heart massage," he said. | "Then the team set about digging out as much we we could to expose the chest so that the paramedic could give heart massage," he said. |
| "While that was going on we were trying to dig the body out and that carried on for about 10, 15 minutes. | "While that was going on we were trying to dig the body out and that carried on for about 10, 15 minutes. |
| "The family was panicking, the friends were panicking. There was a lot of screaming and crying." | "The family was panicking, the friends were panicking. There was a lot of screaming and crying." |
| Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service were also called to the scene by the coastguard and dispatched two special rescue units equipped to deal with waterborne rescues. | Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service were also called to the scene by the coastguard and dispatched two special rescue units equipped to deal with waterborne rescues. |
| A spokeswoman for the fire service said: "The young man was some five feet below the surface and although rescue crews had managed to clear the sand from his head and shoulders the youth was compressed under a considerable weight of sand. | A spokeswoman for the fire service said: "The young man was some five feet below the surface and although rescue crews had managed to clear the sand from his head and shoulders the youth was compressed under a considerable weight of sand. |
| "The emergency services would like to highlight the dangers of digging into unstable ground such as sand and the risk of sudden collapse, causing persons to become trapped. | "The emergency services would like to highlight the dangers of digging into unstable ground such as sand and the risk of sudden collapse, causing persons to become trapped. |
| "This applies to trenches, tunnels or small caves. | "This applies to trenches, tunnels or small caves. |
| The boy was pronounced dead after being flown to hospital in Swansea | |
| "Although many children and adults may play safely in sand at the sea shore or in sand dunes, deep excavations and tunnels are extremely dangerous and should not be attempted." | "Although many children and adults may play safely in sand at the sea shore or in sand dunes, deep excavations and tunnels are extremely dangerous and should not be attempted." |
| After Craig was dug out of the sand he was airlifted to Morriston hospital in Swansea. | |
| Mr Hughes added: "It's just a tragic accident that could have been prevented but unfortunately children don't see danger." | Mr Hughes added: "It's just a tragic accident that could have been prevented but unfortunately children don't see danger." |
| He said coastguards offered their sympathy to the boy's family and, with the school holidays underway, wanted to warn others of the dangers of tunnelling in sand. | He said coastguards offered their sympathy to the boy's family and, with the school holidays underway, wanted to warn others of the dangers of tunnelling in sand. |
| He said: "Sand is always very unstable and heavy and can collapse at any time." | He said: "Sand is always very unstable and heavy and can collapse at any time." |
| Mr Jones said he would be recommending the local authority put up warning signs at Cefn Sidan beach, advising of the danger of tunnelling or digging in the dunes. | Mr Jones said he would be recommending the local authority put up warning signs at Cefn Sidan beach, advising of the danger of tunnelling or digging in the dunes. |
| Mr Jones, who was the first officer on the scene yesterday, said he used to play in the dunes himself as a child. | Mr Jones, who was the first officer on the scene yesterday, said he used to play in the dunes himself as a child. |
| "They are perfectly safe if people don't take unnecessary risks," he said. | "They are perfectly safe if people don't take unnecessary risks," he said. |
| Meanwhile, a group of the Craig's friends visited the scene of his death on Monday afternoon, leaving floral tributes. | |
| The police have also filled in the tunnel and the beach's blue flag has been flying at half mast as a mark of respect for the teenager. | The police have also filled in the tunnel and the beach's blue flag has been flying at half mast as a mark of respect for the teenager. |