Tragedy as man ‘buried alive’ on Bribie Island beach dies after courageous six-day battle for life
00:59 EST December 7, 2023
updated
A man buried alive in the sand on Queensland’s Bribie Island has died, close associates have confirmed.
Josh Taylor, 25, was left fighting for his life after falling into a hole at the popular tourist destination on Saturday afternoon and becoming buried under 1.5 meters of sand.
He and his comrades were cooking a pig in a sandbox at the time.
Friends and family took turns providing CPR until he was flown by emergency services to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Close associates confirmed Thursday that Taylor died after his life support was turned off “with his family by his side” at the hospital.
In a statement, the family said Taylor “fought as hard as he could and was the most courageous person we will ever know” who would be missed “every minute of every day.”
A witness said Mr Taylor got up from his chair, lost his balance and tripped into the 1.5 meter hole, causing the walls of the pit to fall on him.
A beachgoer, Nathan, was leaving with his family when a group of men shouted for help to rescue their friend from under the sand.
When he arrived at the scene, Mr Taylor’s family and friends were desperately digging to get him out.
“I realized someone had their head in a hole and I was just digging, digging, digging,” he said.
“When I first went to the hole, I couldn’t even see his foot. It was that deep.”
Nathan told NCA NewsWire that more than 15 people were digging in the sand to get the man out before paramedics and rangers arrived.
‘His whole family was shouting at us, telling us to help, to get a rope so we could pull him out. It was pretty horrific,” Nathan said.
“There were about fifteen guys pulling the rope and he wouldn’t budge.”
After some time of pulling and digging, Mr. Taylor finally burst through the sand surface, but the force of the pull caused further injuries, Nathan said.
‘It was quite intense when he jumped out. “I threw up,” he said.
‘He broke. The suction, the power of everyone who pulls.’
When they pulled him out, Mr. Taylor had no pulse and the rangers began CPR.
Rangers in the area also installed a defibrillator before paramedics arrived.
Taylor’s uncle, Barry Taylor, told media outside the hospital on Wednesday that his cousin was “really fighting, his heart is still beating.”
‘We are devastated. It’s been really hard for us to comprehend what happened to Josh.”
Messages of support flooded social media after the incident.
“Prayers for you and the family, you will get through this my husband,” a friend wrote on Facebook.
“Thoughts are with you Joshy,” wrote another.
Wests Brisbane Junior Rugby League Club shared with members a message from the Taylor family asking for prayers to help Josh ‘get through it’.
“I have very sad news that the man buried in Bribie is Squizzy’s son Josh,” the post said.
“We are all devastated and praying for him.”
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
READ MORE: ‘Unimaginable’ horror that saw family of young man ‘buried alive’ on Bribie Island
