On a calm Sunday afternoon in Vorupør, a dramatic rescue operation was initiated when a landslide buried two German boys in the sand. Henning Nockel, a German photographer on vacation, inadvertently became a key figure in this rescue mission.
Nockel was surfing in the waves of the North Sea when he noticed unusual activity on the beach. Without hesitation, he paddled ashore and discovered a group of about 15 people frantically digging in a large mound of sand. Amidst the chaos, Nockel quickly made the decision to join the hardworking helpers.
After ten minutes of intense digging, Nockel spotted a small piece of fabric peeking through the sand. The fabric belonged to one of the two boys who had been trapped by the landslide. When Nockel placed his hand into the sand, he felt a small back moving under the fabric. “I suddenly felt a clear movement,” said Nockel. However, the boy was so tightly wedged that it was impossible to free him immediately.
Attention quickly turned to the other boy, who was also buried under the sand. In a frantic moment, Nockel grasped the boy’s feet and, together with the rest of the rescue team, was able to pull him free. The boy was unconscious but was quickly handed over to professional rescuers who arrived on the scene shortly thereafter.
Soon after, the first boy was also freed. Although the rescue sparked spontaneous applause and cheers, the mood quickly shifted to one of solemnity as the reality of the boys’ condition became apparent to the group. Nockel described the moment as emotional, with many beginning to cry as the seriousness of the situation set in.
The two boys, aged 9 and 12, were transported by helicopter to the hospital, where they remain in critical condition. Police investigations suggest that the boys had dug a cave in the dunes, which led to the tragic landslide. The boys were buried for up to 40 minutes before being rescued.
Today’s incident in Vorupør serves as a reminder of nature’s unpredictability and the swift action required in emergency situations to save lives.