A father of four died at Muriwai Beach after being trapped under a sand dune in front of his kids. The 28-year-old, Kane Watson, was at the Muriwai beach, which is twenty-five miles from Auckland, New Zealand. The now-deceased man was with his 3 stepsons and an 18-month-old girl.
The accident occurred on August 23, leaving him stuck under the dune headfirst. Before that, he was just playing with his kids, making memories. He was trapped under the dune for fifteen minutes before the Auckland Rescue Helicopter reached.
Within a few seconds, their happy moments turned to panic, and they looked for rescue. The rescue team and doctors tried to revive him, but the cause of his death was severe injuries. They got him to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead on Sunday.
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The family is shocked, describing him as a beloved partner, brother, and son. Moreover, he was a devoted father. Kane also had a baby on the way, so this incident has left the family devastated. He cared for his family, and it was the centre of him.
The family friend describes it as heartbreaking, and their youngest child, who’s yet to be born, will never get to meet him. The family is shattered after this unimaginable loss. The police have stated that there will be an investigation to understand the incident at the Muriwai beach better.
A father-of-four has died in front of his children in horrific circumstances, after a sand dune suddenly collapsed on him and trapping the man for 15 minutes. Full story: https://t.co/hchxpn8J6E pic.twitter.com/xIf8XDxxWz
— news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) August 25, 2025
After his tragic passing, a family friend said, “To have witnessed such a tragedy and now face life without him is unbearable.” Kane’s sister said, “All he ever wanted was to have his own family and it really does feel like the minute he got there, it was ripped away from him.”
She also said how excited he was about the new baby and building a life with his partner. Netizens have also been reacting to the news, saying it’s horrific and truly an unfortunate incident.
To help the family a bit after the horrific accident, strangers from all over are pouring in with donations. Shaquille’s friend, Kristalle Tayler, has set up a Give a Little page for the family after the tragic passing and has surpassed the goal of $10,000, reaching $18,000.
The page is set up to help the family through the loss and the funeral costs that follow. Over 474 people have given generous donations to the family while also offering condolences.
