As a Danville teenager remains in a near coma after being buried in the sand at Sunset State Beach in Watsonville in June, there is a new case out of Southern California that is getting national attention.
A teen trapped under tons of sand in Newport Beach was rescued by lifeguards, firefighters and volunteers Wednesday, and it was all caught on video.
Surfing journalist Skip Snead lives near the beach and worried at first the victim could have been his son. He caught the rescue on tape.
Paramedics and lifeguards were called to the beach just east of the Santa Ana River at about 3:40 p.m., according to Jennifer Schulz of the Newport Beach Fire Department.
Matt Mina, 17, was digging a hole about five feet below the surface when the surrounding sand caved in on him.
"I thought I was going to die," Mina said on TODAY. "I was just really scared. I didn’t know if anyone could hear me when I was screaming for help."
Snead said the big turnout of rescue crews and volunteers was dramatic and a little bit chaotic.
"Everybody wanted to help," said Snead. "But it was backfiring because they were like caving it in a little. The sand just rushes in."
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Snead didn't think it would end well.
"I think eveyrone was expecting them to pull up a dead body," said Snead. "Especially after like 20 minutes."
Lifeguards were able to free him in about a half-hour, Schulz said.
Mina taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and is expected to fully recover.
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