Enlarge image

The accident is said to have happened on a beach on Bribie Island north of Brisbane

Photo: scotto72 / Getty Images

Tragic accident in Australia: According to media reports, a 25-year-old fell headfirst into a hole on the beach and was buried. The man was with friends who had dug the hole themselves, 9News reported, citing paramedics. The accident occurred on Saturday afternoon on a beach popular with holidaymakers on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane (Queensland).

It was only after a long time that it was possible to free the man. However, he no longer had a pulse at that time. But after about 45 minutes, the man was resuscitated, it said. Rangers, who happened to be nearby, reportedly also used a defibrillator. Finally, the 25-year-old was flown to a clinic. His condition is critical.

"The fact that the young man's pulse returned after a prolonged resuscitation period shows that good resuscitation was performed," Australian media quoted Peter Batt of the Queensland Ambulance Service as saying.

tgk/dpa