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Questions have been raised over the tragic death of the man who was buried alive in a giant beach sandpit and died six days after rescuers freed him.
Josh Taylor, 23, had his life support machine turned off on Thursday after suffering horrific injuries on Bribie Island in Queensland’s Moreton Bay on December 2.
Taylor and the group he was with are said to have dug a 1.5m deep hole to roast a pig, but locals have raised doubts about that claim as bonfires are banned on the island’s beaches.
They allege that the group may have been hunting wild boar on the island and had actually dug a sand trap to try to catch one of the wild boars when the accident occurred.
Detectives have now launched a criminal investigation into the death.
Taylor fell into a sand hole on Queensland’s Bribie Island on December 2.
Josh Taylor’s life support was taken off on Thursday after suffering horrific injuries on Bribie Island in Queensland’s Moreton Bay on December 2 (Josh is pictured with his family).
Mr Taylor is said to have fallen into the hole when he stumbled and lost his balance while rising from a chair, his flailing arms knocking down the walls above him.
The Brisbane man was left buried upside down, with his ankles barely visible to rescuers, who attempted to extricate him after their attempts to dig him out failed.
But the weight of the sand and the suction created when he was pulled meant that not even the brute force of 15 men pulling a rope around his feet could dislodge him.
An off-duty paramedic advised the rescue party to try pulling in a different direction, which eventually freed him.
But one rescuer, bystander Nathan, said Mr Taylor’s body “broke” when he was freed.
‘His whole family was shouting at us, asking us for help, telling us to get a rope so they could get him out. It was pretty scary,” Nathan said.
‘There were about 15 men pulling the rope and he didn’t move. He was pretty gnarly when he came out. I vomited.
‘He broke. The suction, the force of everyone pulling.
Mr Taylor had no pulse when he was released, but rangers, friends and family performed CPR on him for 45 minutes until he was flown to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Area rangers also used a defibrillator before paramedics arrived.
Nathan revealed to the media that Taylor’s group had told him they were digging a hole to roast a pig when the accident occurred.
But locals have raised doubts about that claim, as the state government has completely banned bonfires on the island’s beaches, except at some specific campsites.
They also questioned why someone would build a fire pit among trees and bushes with overhanging branches that could easily catch fire if exposed to the flames below.
Locals wondered why someone would build a fire pit among trees and bushes with overhanging branches (pictured) that could easily catch fire if exposed to the flames below.
Josh Taylor was a big fan of the surfing and fishing pages on social media, but he also followed an Australian hog hunter, Chris Wertheim (pictured).
Taylor was a big follower of surfing and fishing pages on social media, but he also followed an Australian hog hunter, Chris Wertheim, whose profile photo is of him posing with a wild boar his dogs had killed.
Locals have speculated that the group may have been hunting pigs and dug a trap to catch one of the wild pigs as it ran through the beachside brush.
One said: ‘The story that they roasted a pig and he accidentally fell doesn’t add up.
“You can’t start a fire on the beach, and the smoke would be evident for miles around, not to mention the danger of starting a larger forest fire as a result.”
“It would make more sense if they were digging a pig trap.”
Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science said they could not comment.
“The circumstances surrounding this tragic incident are currently being investigated by Queensland Police,” a spokesperson said.
But they added: “Feral pigs are found in most of Queensland and are known to be on Bribie Island.
“Pig hunting in Queensland is restricted to privately owned land, with the express permission of the landowner.”
Josh Taylor is said to have fallen into the hole when he tripped and lost his balance while rising from a chair, and his flailing arms knocked down the walls above him.
A GoFundMe set up by family friend Georgia Hoffman for Josh’s parents, Belinda and Peter Taylor, raised more than $70,000 before it came to an end.
Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia that investigations were still ongoing.
“All circumstances are under investigation,” a spokesperson said.
A GoFundMe set up by family friend Georgia Hoffman for Josh’s parents, Belinda and Peter Taylor, raised more than $70,000 before it concluded.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Hoffman, Nathan and Mr Taylor’s family for comment.