Rescue of boy buried alive caught on video

It is a parent’s worst nightmare, their child in harms way and stands a very good chance of dying. Such is the case with Matt Mina, 17, as his parents hoped and prayed that rescuers would save Matt after he found himself buried alive at Newport Beach.

Matt, 17, had been digging a hole in the sand about five feet below the surface when the surrounding sand caved in on him. Luckily Matt had been able to raise his head as the sand collapsed around him to create an air pocket that helped keep him alive long enough for the rescuers to save 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.”

Snead didn’t think it would end well.

“I think everyone 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.

via NBC Los Angeles

Here are a couple of videos of the rescue and his interview on the Today Show.

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