Let me try and recount it in a manner highlighting the reasons why this really is a worthy candidate for a Darwin award.

--

Three 17 year old boys decided to break into an isolated part of the dunes along the Belgian coast, which is clearly marked as a nature reserve "No entrance - Do not disturb". This assured they were totally alone.

Right after they did that, they decided that it would be a good idea to start digging holes in the dry, fine, loose dune sand - two holes, each 2,5 m deep.

After they had finished digging the holes, they further decided that now would be a good time to dig a tunnel to connect their handiwork.

So they started digging the tunnel, and then realized that the whole thing could become dangerously unstable. (No kidding !) So what did they decide to do ? Two of them crawled out of the holes in order to go and search for "some things to support the tunnel" ... while the third 17 year-old, Thomas, *decided to stay down there to keep digging at the tunnel in the mean time*, completely alone.

The whole thing of course collapsed on top of him in short order.

When the two others returned from their (fruitless) quest to find material to support their tunnel and found the holes collapsed, their first thought was that their friend had given up, disgusted, and left, but then they saw his clothes still lying near the collapsed hole. This was the moment they decided to start digging, and when they didn't immediately find their friend, finally call for help.

Sixteen firefighters with spades took 15 minutes to arrive at the spot of the accident, which obviously was rather isolated, quickly dug the guy up and resuscitated him for 20 minutes before moving him to the hospital, where he finally died four days later. Dust to dust ...

-- a nice diagram of the events :

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/extra/infografiekmiddelkerke.jpg

Submitted on 07/09/2008

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: 07/05/2008 http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DMF09072008_032&ref=nieuwsoverzicht

Copyright © 2008 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
Thanks, we've already received this story.

Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
I beg to differ. We tossed the last submission of this because the very sparse details made it sound like a "Too Common". But now we learn that Idiots A, B, and C. trespassed into a protected and off-limits area, quite a distance from any help, dug these fairly deep holes, and after realizing the holes were unstable "(No kidding!)" Idiot A decided to _stay in the hole_ and keep digging! By himself, in a hole they'd ALREADY figured might collapse, when he knew his friends would not be in a position to help him! His death was a result of stubbornness and an unusual height of stupidity. (15 min for the firefighters, et al., to get there. How far off the beaten path WERE they!?!) And I love this write-up.

Tracy said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
I agree with Candi - there's a lot more info - and the fact that they'd realised they were doing something stupid because it could collapse makes it more a DA for me - and the submitter has taken time over the writeup - thanks

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