Teenager Riccardo Dies After Sand Tunnel Collapses on Italian Beach

A tragic accident has claimed the life of a teenage boy named Riccardo, who died after being buried alive when a sand tunnel he dug collapsed on a beach in Montalto di Castro, Italy.

Riccardo was on holiday with his family when the incident occurred. According to eyewitnesses, the boy had dug a tunnel in the sand, intending to crawl through it from one end to the other. But as he reached the middle of the tunnel, the entire structure collapsed, trapping him beneath the sand.

“He had built a tunnel. He wanted to enter from one side and exit from the other,” a witness told local media.

“But as he passed through, when he reached the centre, everything collapsed and the hole was completely covered. You couldn’t see anything anymore — you could have walked right through it and not noticed a thing.”

Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but despite efforts to save him, Riccardo was pronounced dead.

Local mayor Emanuela Socciarelli expressed the community’s grief, saying: “A tragedy that has left us all shocked. It’s unthinkable that a young man could lose his life in this way. I want to offer my sincere condolences to this family, to whom we are all truly deeply connected.”

The heartbreaking incident has sparked renewed warnings about the dangers of digging large holes or tunnels in the sand, especially without proper support or adult supervision.

Riccardo’s death has cast a shadow over what was meant to be a relaxing holiday and has left his family and the local community in mourning.