Korean exchange student Paul Sang dies on California beach after sand pit collapses on him

A day at the beach for a group of college friends tued deadly when one of them was buried alive after a sand pit they had dug collapsed on him.

Paul Mingyu Sang, 20, was identified on Thursday as the exchange student who died after lying in a sandpit that was at least six feet deep at the Oxnard Beach Park in Southe Califoia.

The Oxnard Fire Department said in a statement that the student and others from Master's College had dug the hole at Oxnard Beach Park on Wednesday and the he became buried after climbing into it. 

Rescue effort: Firefighters began digging quickly with their hands and tools, but were not able to pull the man out until 15 minutes later

The Ventura County Star reported that Mr Sang, who was originally from Seoul, South Korea,  has been in the U.S. for about five years.

The group had spent the day in the area while visiting from the Santa Clarita-based Christian school.

The department’s battalion chief, Darwin Base, told the paper that Mr Sang was trying to take a picture from inside the hole.

The fire department said the emergency call came in at 4:50pm and rescue crews arrived by 4:54.

Firefighters began digging quickly with their hands and tools, but were not able to pull the Mr Sang out until 15 minutes later.

CPR was performed on the man as he was taken to Ventura County Medical Center, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Mr Sang's name and Korean hometown were originally not released because his relatives have not yet been notified of his death.

The Star reported that lifeguards usually caution people not to dig holes on the beach, but no lifeguards were present on the part of the beach where the accident occurred.

Base, the battalion chief, told the paper that digging large pits in the sand can be dangerous, and 'it's something people really need to know about.'

Tragedy: The man who was killed had spent the day at Oxnard Beach Park, pictured, with some other students from Master's College

Sang, a Korean exchange student at Master's College, a Christian school in Santa Clarita pictured here