A fun, carefree trip to the beach became a nightmare for four children, who watched their father accidentally bury himself and lose his life in New Zealand.
Kane Watson, 28, was enjoying a family trip to Muriwai Beach when the tragedy took place.
“The suddenness of this accident has left Kane’s family shattered,” loved ones said.
Four children watched in horror as their father was buried alive in a collapsed sand dune in New Zealand
Image credits: New Zealand Travel & Adventure Videos
Kane was soaking up some sun and spending his afternoon at Muriwai Beach on Saturday, August 23, with his 18-month-old daughter and three stepsons.
While digging a hole in the sand, a dune collapsed on top of him and trapped him inside.
Image credits: givealittle.co.nz
“What began as a fun afternoon at Muriwai Beach turned into tragedy when a sand dune collapsed on Kane while he was digging and playing with his kids,” read the message shared on a fundraising page.
“In seconds, laughter turned to panic as his family witnessed the unimaginable unfold before their eyes,” the message added.
Kane Watson was enjoying a family trip to Muriwai Beach when the tragedy took place
Image credits: RNZ
Kane tried calling out for help, while his children managed to get the attention of several passersby.
His partner, Jazmine Lee, later said in a social media post that he was buried under 6.5 feet (2 meters) of sand.
Unfortunately, it took about 15 minutes for Kane to finally be pulled out.
Image credits: 111 Emergency/Flickr (Not the actual photo)
The beloved father was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
“Despite the incredible efforts of rescue teams and doctors, Kane tragically passed away from his injuries,” according to the fundraiser.
An investigation into his passing is underway.
Kane was expecting another child with his partner, Jazmine Lee, when his life was unexpectedly cut short
Image credits: Jazmine Lee
Kane was described as a devoted father and a “much-loved” son, brother and partner.
His sister, Shaquille, called him her “best friend, her favorite person.”
Shaquille said Kane and his partner, Jazmine, were “creating a life together” and raising their children as a blended family.
Image credits: Kristalle Tayler
Jazmine has three sons from a previous relationship and shared a daughter with Kane.
She was also expecting her second child with Kane when the unimaginable tragedy struck her family.
“He was just an amazing dad. I guess that’s where it’s like just the most heartbreaking thing,” Shaquille told Stuff. “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.”
“He was just an amazing dad. I guess that’s where it’s like just the most heartbreaking thing,” his sister said
Image credits: Adian Van Der Walt
Shaquille’s friend, Kristalle Tayler, said Kane was “so excited about their new baby,” due to arrive in January.
“He was building a life with his partner, he was the best dad and came into his own when he became a dad,” Kristalle told 1News.
Sand dunes, and even sand in general, are naturally unstable and can be affected by waves, vehicles driving over them, and people walking or playing on them.
“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,” Dr Colin Whittaker, University of Auckland senior lecturer in civil engineering hydraulics, told RNZ.
Image credits: Jazmine Lee
“That’s obviously very damaging, but also pretty hard to dig yourself out of especially if you’re struggling for air,” he added.
Even those attempting to dig someone out would find the process quite challenging.
“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,” Colin added.
Image credits: RNZ
Following Kane’s passing, Kristalle said they are focusing on raising funds for the bereaved family, and they were “blown away” by the response to their fundraising page.
She said they managed to exceed their initial target for donations within four hours.
“We’re just trying to support his mum, partner, kids and sister as much as possible,” she told 1News. “We’re trying to create a space where they can focus on Kane, and pick up the pieces as we go.”
A similar tragedy was reported in 2022 in Florida when Sean Nagel’s body was found on a beach
Image credits: Will Nagel
A similar tragedy was reported in 2022 in Florida when a man named Sean Nagel was discovered beneath a collapsed sand dune.
Sean’s body was found on the Hutchinson Island beach in August 2022 after a sand dune “collapsed on top of him,” his brother Will Nagel wrote on social media.
Image credits: Will Nagel
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office did not suspect foul play and said a GoPro video camera and a plastic bag were found with his body.
“It appears that the victim was resting underneath a sand dune while taking video of a sunrise, but the dune collapsed, trapping him underneath,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
They noted that Sean may have passed away from asphyxia hours before his body was recovered.
“Life can be so cruel even when you’re having fun with your children,” one commented online after Kane’s passing
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