A SAND bank collapse in the Glenhills area of Durban North claimed the life of one child and left another critically injured on Saturday afternoon (May 24).

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It is believed that the child who died was three years of age.

Emergency services, including KZN VIP Protection Services and other first responders, rushed to the scene after receiving reports of two children trapped beneath a collapsed sand bank.

According to a spokesperson for KZN VIP Protection Services, both minors were buried under the debris when the sand bank gave way.

“Our emergency medical teams arrived quickly and began intensive rescue efforts alongside other responding agencies,” said the spokesperson.

“One child was successfully rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Sadly, despite hours of relentless work, the second child was found with no signs of life and was declared deceased at the scene.”

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.

KZN VIP thanked all responders and community members who assisted during the operation.

“This is a deeply heartbreaking incident,” the spokesperson added.

“Our thoughts are with the families of the children and with our teams who worked under extremely traumatic circumstances.”

Further updates are expected as investigations continue.

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