POMPANO BEACH, FLA.—It took 60 rescuers two hours to free a member of the Austrian Olympic swim team who was buried in sand up to his neck on Florida’s Pompano Beach.

Authorities say the 19-year-old had spent much of Sunday digging a hole that was two metres deep and 1.8 metres across. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that at 7 p.m., the man, whose name was not released, jumped into the hole as a joke and sand collapsed around him.

Pompano Beach Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Sandra King says the man was in danger of being crushed by the pressure from the sand. He was freed about 9 p.m. and taken to a hospital. His condition was unknown.

King said the Austrian Olympic team has been training in South Florida since April. Sunday was an off day for team members.