6-year-old Boy Buried Under 11 Feet Of Sand Rescued

Emergency crews in northern Indiana have rescued a boy who fell into a hole in the sand near the Lake Michigan shoreline near Mount Baldy in Michigan City.

Authorities say the 6-year-old boy was buried under 11 feet of sand around 4:30 p.m. Central Time. Rescuers pulled him from the hole around three and a half hours later. 



National Park Service spokesman Bruce Rowe told The News Dispatch of Michigan City that the unidentified boy's family did not initially see him fall into the hole. When they did see him, he was already partially submerged in the sand, and fell further inside as they tried to dig him out, the newspaper reported. The hole reportedly is in an area blocked off for dune restoration. 

While the condition of the boy is not being reported, La Porte County Deputy Coroner Mark Huffman said the boy is breathing at Franciscan St. Anthony Health Medical Center and making noises, The News Dispatch reported. 

Emergency responders reportedly said the boy had vital signs when he was rescued, but could not say whether he was conscious, according to the newspaper.  

"He isn't out of the woods yet, but... they found him," Huffman told The News Dispatch. "It is totally amazing. They got him out and rushed him to the hospital," he said. 

Michigan City police, fire and Department of Natural Resources used backhoes and other heavy equipment to try to find the child. 

Ryan Miller, vice president of D&M Excavating told the newspaper the process was slow, but "safe." 

"It's a miracle," he told The News Dispatch of the rescue. 

"Our guys just kept on digging. Some guys gout out and dug by hand. They kept on going and found him," Huffman told The News Dispatch. 

As many as 25 rescue workers were on scene.