BRISBIE ISLAND, AUSTRALIA – Josh Taylor, a 25-year-old man from Brisbane, is fighting for his life in the intensive care unit after a tragic sand accident at Bribie Island on Saturday. Taylor fell headfirst into a hole that was 1.5m-deep and was buried under the sand. The incident had him without a pulse for 45 minutes until he could be rescued.
Frantic rescue efforts began with Taylor’s friends and family members, who were at the beach with him. As many as 15 people participated in the operation, struggling to pull him free and performing CPR until emergency services arrived.
According to Nathan, a witness who intervened to help, the situation was intense. He arrived at the scene responding to the desperate pleas of Taylor’s family, yelling out for help and requesting rope to pull their friend out. Describing the scenario as “gruesome”, Nathan explained that everyone was just digging to extract Taylor.
Upon his eventual rescue, emergency services performed further CPR and applied a defibrillator before he could be flown to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. Taylor remains in critical but stable condition as of Tuesday.
The tragic accident has led to an outpouring of emotional support from friends on social media, alongside prayers for his recovery as he enters the third day in intensive care. Wests Brisbane Junior Rugby League Club shared a message from Taylor’s family, encouraging prayers for him.
The pit in which Taylor fell had reportedly been dug to roast a pig, reminiscent of the traditional Maori style of cooking known as hangi.